


You Are My Greatest Adventure

by icedragon822



Series: The Lance Family Chronicles [2]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Babysitting, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Gay Parents, Hurt/Comfort, Married Couple, Married Life, Motherhood, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-04-06 17:10:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 49,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14061549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedragon822/pseuds/icedragon822
Summary: Snapshots in the life of Sara, Ava, Laurel, and Rory Lance, following the events of "Life with You is Full of Surprises" and beginning when Laurel is 8 months old. Mostly domestic fluff and some light smut, but there may be chapters with a change in tone to be more angsty or action-packed, depending on where the story goes.





	1. Coming Home to You

**Author's Note:**

> I had so much fun writing the last fic, and I knew that the adventures of the Lance family couldn't stop there! I hadn't written anything in almost two years, and I forgot how much joy writing brings to my life. I hope those of you who are reading are enjoying it just as much!

Sara closed the door to her cabin and threw herself down on the bed with a groan. It had been a long few days. Her team had faced one anachronism after another, from the 6th Dalai Lama being found in 1950s San Francisco to an entire French World War I battalion showing up in 2018 Beijing. Sara rarely spent more than one night on the Waverider at a time these days, but she had spent four days and nights plotting and fighting, and she was absolutely exhausted and extremely homesick. 

Gideon’s voice cut through the silence. “Captain Lance, you have an incoming call from Director Sharpe.”

“Gideon, you KNOW you can call her Ava now. If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times. She’s told you that herself.”

“Of course, Captain.”

Sara sighed loudly. “Put her on.”

A holographic image of Ava appeared in front of her. She appeared much the same as she did when Sara first met her nearly five years ago: impeccable tailored pantsuit, blonde hair in a tight bun at the base of her neck, minimal but neatly applied makeup. The major difference was the soft smile on her face replacing the scowl that had formerly been reserved for Sara and her team, and a black silicone wedding band around her left ring finger. She always wore the silicone ring to work, as did Sara; both of their gold wedding bands, and Sara’s grandmother’s engagement ring that was Ava’s most valued possession, were only worn at times when they weren’t in danger of flying off during a fight or being lost in the depths of the Waverider. She still went by the last name Sharpe professionally, but everyone knew that she was Ava Lance through and through.

Ava’s soft smile turned into a look of concern when she saw how exhausted Sara looked. “Hey. How are you holding up?”

Sara tried to give Ava a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, just tired. But mostly I’m just really missing my girls.” 

Sara hadn’t been away from her family for such a long stretch since Laurel had been born 8 months ago. She didn’t realize how much she would miss the little routines that had become so normal in her life over the past few months… bringing Laurel into their bed in the morning so they could snuggle as a family. Sipping on coffee while Ava nursed the baby beside her on the couch. Sitting on the floor and playing with Laurel and relishing in the sound of her delighted laugh. Being splashed by an excited, kicking baby at bathtime. Rocking Laurel to sleep at night, breathing in her special baby scent as she nestled in and sucked Sara’s neck contentedly, her favorite method of self-soothing. 

Ava’s responding smile was so big it reached her eyes. “Your girls have missed you too. Laurel’s been fighting sleep the past couple of nights and I think it’s because Mommy’s not there for her bedtime routine.” Sara could see a slight blush forming on Ava’s cheeks as she added, “And her Mama misses you even more. The bed’s too big and lonely without you in it. I think you’ll be in for a REALLY warm welcome when you get home.” 

Sara raised her eyebrows suggestively. “Sounds like I have a lot to look forward to.”

Ava, still blushing, let out a deep chuckle. “Oh, I’d say you do. In fact, if it wasn’t so busy around here, I’d be tempted to tell Gary that I have a meeting and come give you an early one-on-one welcome right there in the Waverider.”

Sara groaned dramatically. “Ava, noooooo. Now you’ve got me all worked up. I’m gonna be all turned on and ready to go and still have to captain this damn ship.”

Ava laughed. “It could be worse. You could be all turned on and ready to go and have to lead a meeting with a bunch of stuffy Time Bureau agents. I’ve got seven minutes- think that’s long enough to take care of it in the bathroom?”

“I’d say I could come over and take care of it for you, but you know I like to take my time with you.” 

Ava winced. “Gahhhhhh you know I want you to, but we cannot be having phone sex right now. Or holo sex, or whatever the hell this is. This isn’t what I meant for this call to turn into, but I can’t say I’m unhappy about it. And I really do have to go.”

“Is anyone around who can see you?”

“No, I’m in my office with the door shut. Why?”

“Because then I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Sara pulled off her shirt and bra in one fell swoop to give Ava a full view of her breasts. “Just something to tide you over until I get back tonight.”

Ava fanned herself dramatically. “God, you’re beautiful. That’s… I can’t even speak. Now you’ve REALLY put me over the edge. But I really do have to go, babe. You’ll be home tonight, then?”

“Yes. I’ll make sure of it. We’ll continue this then, I promise. Love you.”

“Love you too!”

Ava’s image disappeared. Sara leaned back on her bed, squealing gleefully about what awaited her at home that night. 

And she was so excited that she didn’t even get too angry when Gideon’s voice cut in to say “And for Beebo’s sake, Captain Lance, put your shirt back on!” 

***

Sara opened the door of her apartment to see her two favorite people in the entire universe. The apartment was a strong upgrade from the tiny flat she and Ava lived in when they first got married. It had been Ava’s bachelorette place, a one bedroom, one bathroom crash pad that was perfectly serviceable for the 2 to 3 nights they spent there when not on the Waverider. But once they decided to have a baby, they knew they needed something bigger and more permanent. They bought a 3-bedroom, 2-bath apartment in a neighborhood of Star City with good schools, great parks, and plenty of restaurants and bars, a must when hosting the Legends when they came by to see Laurel (Ava and Sara decided that Laurel wasn’t allowed on the Waverider until she was at least a year old). 

Ava gave her wife a wide smile when she walked into the kitchen that was right off the entryway. She had changed out of her Time Bureau uniform into sweatpants, a ratty, large t-shirt with “Oliver Queen for Mayor” printed on the front, and had swept her hair into a messy bun, a far cry from her immaculate work hair-do. 

“I didn’t know you’d be home so soon! Laurel and I were just finishing up her supper and getting ready for bathtime. She had a little too much fun with the peas. I don’t think she actually ate very much of them.”

Laurel was sitting in her high chair, the remnants of her dinner smeared across her face, her blonde hair, her pink onesie with yellow ducks all over it, and, from the looks of it, the ceiling. When she saw Sara, her bright blue eyes, the same exact color as Sara’s, immediately lit up, and she gave a delighted squeal. “Ma! Ma! Ma!” Although Sara was Mommy and Ava was Mama, they were both simply “Ma” to Laurel at this point, something that thrilled both of them to no end. 

Sara dropped her bag off at the front door and walked over to greet her daughter. 

“Hi baby girl!” 

She picked Laurel up from the high chair, peas and all, and planted kisses all over her cheeks, ears, forehead, lips, and the deep dimple in her chin. Four days was far too long to be away from this. She buried her face in Laurel’s neck, inhaling her sweet scent before playfully blowing a raspberry, which made the little girl laugh hysterically. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you. I missed you so so so so much.”

Ava wandered over with a wet wipe that she used to clean the peas off the baby’s face. “And do you have anything for her Mama?”

Sara held Laurel with one arm while pulling her wife to her with the other. “Boy do I.” She leaned forward to give Ava a kiss, but surprised her when she briefly slipped her tongue into Ava’s mouth. “There’ll be more of where that came from tonight, I promise you.”

Ava laughed happily. “I can’t wait! Can you give her a bath while I clean up her mess? I picked up Chinese for the two of us.”

Sara winked at her. “You know there’s something else I’d rather eat instead.” She laughed at the blush creeping up Ava’s neck, but she also knew that Ava would be more than ready to be eaten out by her wife, and to reciprocate the favor. 

“In all seriousness, that sounds like a good plan. I’ll come get you when she’s in her pajamas so we can read and you can feed her.” Ava and Sara always read Laurel a story and Ava nursed her one last time before handing her off to Sara to rock her to sleep. Sara loved rocking Laurel to sleep at night; Ava and Laurel bonded through breastfeeding, but the bedtime cuddles were an intimate way for Sara and Laurel to bond just the two of them. 

Sara stripped Laurel of her pea-encrusted outfit and threw her dirty diaper in the trash before carrying her squiggly, naked baby into the bathroom. Laurel LOVED bathtime. She loved being in the water, and Sara couldn’t wait to sign her up for baby swim lessons in the summer. Sara ran a washcloth over her daughter’s chubby belly, arms, legs, and neck, and they spent the last few minutes playing in the bubbles. Sara snapped a quick picture of Laurel with her hair in a bubbly Mohawk that she sent to her mom and dad. They both relished getting pictures of Laurel and both tried their best to see her when they were able. 

Sara bundled Laurel up in a terrycloth duck bathrobe and carried her to her nursery, where she rubbed baby lotion on her, put her in a clean diaper, and bundled her into a pair of pink footy pajamas before calling Ava in for storytime. Ava held the baby as they read “Goodnight Moon,” a favorite of Sara’s from her own childhood. After the story was finished, Ava slipped off her tshirt so that she could more easily nurse Laurel. While Ava breastfed the baby, Sara cleaned up the bathroom and unpacked her bag. She changed into a tank top and leggings when she heard a knock on the bedroom door and looked up to see Ava in the doorway, wearing only sweatpants and a nursing bra and holding a sleepy Laurel, whose eyes were drooping shut. 

“She’s all ready for bed now. Take it over, Mommy.” 

She handed Laurel over to Sara, and as they walked over to Laurel’s nursery, Sara turned around and said “Don’t bother putting your shirt back on. I’m gonna be all over those in a few minutes.” 

Ava just laughed and shook her head, letting out a breathy “Okay” as she went to sit down on their bed.

Sara walked quietly to the rocking chair in the nursery. She settled Laurel against her chest, and Laurel immediately latched on to the exposed skin around her collarbone, sucking softly and weaving her hand into Sara’s hair. Most babies nursed to sleep, or wanted to have their backs rubbed, but Laurel preferred the safe embrace of her Mommy and the familiar and comforting scent nestled in her neck. Sara had always been proud of her body, of the toned muscles and sharp edges that came after years of hard work in the gym and hard fighting in the field. But after Laurel was born, she was afraid that the same body she was so proud of would be off-putting for her daughter. Babies preferred soft tummies and pillowy curves, not a hard stomach and lean biceps. But Laurel had loved Sara’s body from the beginning. Even though Sara hadn’t carried her in her womb for 9 months like Ava had, Laurel still fit perfectly in the crook of her arm, or against her stomach, or nestled against her chest. There was an innate connection between the two of them, as if Laurel knew, “This is my mommy. She loves me and I am safe here.” Sara rocked Laurel for a while, leaning down to smell the perfect baby scent that clung to her blonde head, until she felt the sucking against her neck stop and her baby’s breathing become even and slow. She carried Laurel over to her crib, placing her on her back with a blanket lightly covering her before padding quietly out of the room.

She was surprised to see her wife waiting at the doorway. She’d obviously been watching them for a while. 

“You’re such a great mom. She loves you so much.”

Sara blushed at that. “Really? You think so?” Despite the fact that she had been the one who first brought up the idea of having a baby, Sara never thought she could be a good mother. She was an ex-assasin. She was death personified. She had a dark past, the depths of which even Ava didn’t entirely know. But there was something about being married to Ava and being the mother to Laurel that brought out all of the good parts in Sara: her fierce loyalty, her protectiveness, her silliness, and her ability to love deeper and wider than anything. 

“I KNOW so. You’re perfect for me and for her.” She picked up Sara’s hand and placed a warm kiss on her palm. Sara leaned into Ava’s touch gently, a smile on her face.

Ava’s soft smile suddenly turned suggestive. “Now you better get into this bedroom right now because I’ve been dying for you to touch me all day. Did you know I actually had to rub one out in my office like a horny high schooler because you got me so worked up?”

Sara giggled quietly. “You DIDN’T.”

“I did!”

“If it makes you feel better, I had to rub one out in my room like a horny high schooler because YOU got ME so worked up!”

Ava moved closer to Sara, sliding her hands inside her tank top and moving them up until they cupped her breasts. She rubbed her fingers over the nipples until they tightened into stiff peaks. “What were you saying earlier about eating? Because… I think I’d like you to start eating right… about… now.” She leaned forward to kiss her wife, licking into her mouth and sucking on her tongue as her hands continued to play with Sara’s breasts. It was incredibly hot, and it made Sara almost weak at the knees. Sara wrapped her arms around Ava’s neck and deepened their kiss, and her wife carried her all the way to the bed, where they made up for the four days apart with a long and extremely passionate session of lovemaking. So long and so passionate in fact, that the Chinese food lay forgotten on the counter, but neither Ava nor Sara noticed one bit.


	2. Adventures in Babysitting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Sara and Ava have a date night, the Legends come to babysit Laurel. Ava has her doubts, but as always, the Legends, particularly Mick, do their best to prove her wrong.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Ava said as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully applying makeup. 

“What, going on a date?’ Sara asked from the shower. She climbed out and toweled off quickly before moving over to her wife, wrapping her arms around her, and pressing a series of kisses to the back of Ava’s neck. “Most people would KILL to go on a date with a woman as hot as me.”

Ava rolled her eyes. “No, letting the Legends watch our daughter unsupervised. Are you absolutely positive your dad can’t do it?”

Sara detached herself from Ava and began untangling her wet hair with a comb. “No, he’s got some work thing he can’t miss. You know he’d do it if he could- the man worships the ground that she walks on. Well- rolls around on.” 

“What about Oliver and Felicity?”

“Felicity’s eight months pregnant. There’s no way in HELL they would want to come over and babysit.”

“Anyone else you can think of who-“

“AVA.” Sara grabbed her wife’s arm. “She will be FINE. The Legends are a great team. I trust them, and I thought you did too.”

“I do, but only with little stuff like fixing time and saving the world. Not with something so important as babysitting Laurel.” She winked at Sara to indicate that she was kidding… sort of. 

“I know you’re worried, and I like that you’re worried. It shows what a great mom you are. But we deserve to have a night to ourselves. I want to take you out to dinner, drink a glass of wine, and talk about adult things for a few hours. And maybe make out in the cab on the way back like we did when we first started dating. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Ava put the cap back on her lipstick and sighed. “I know that you’re right. But it’s hard- we haven’t left her alone with anyone who’s not one of your parents, and just with the Legends’ track record….”

Sara rubbed her arm comfortingly. “Hey. I had a long talk with them a couple of nights ago. None of them are bringing any weapons, Mick won’t be allowed anywhere near fire, and they promised not to get into our liquor cabinet until after she’s asleep.”

Ava gave Sara a stern look.

“Okay, okay, after we get home.”

“Sara. They are NOT drinking while they’re watching our baby. And they are NOT touching our good booze. That shit’s an investment and I’m not going to come home to find out that your team drank through it in five minutes. We’re locking the booze up.”

“Fine, fine. But you’re the one who has to break that news to them, not me.”

Ava laughed. “Damn, you make me do all the work in this relationship, don’t you?”

***

By the time Sara was ready, Ava had settled Laurel on a blanket in the middle of their living room floor. A small stuffed dog was slightly out of her reach, and she was rocking back and forth on her hands and knees in an attempt to crawl over to it, grunting with concentration at the effort. 

Sara smiled at her. “She’ll be crawling any day now.”

Ava nodded. “I know, and I’m not sure if that makes me happy or sad. Our baby’s growing up.”

Sara picked up the dog and handed it to Laurel, who immediately began chewing on its floppy ear. She then turned to her wife. “Have I told you that you look absolutely stunning tonight?”

Ava blushed slightly. She had put a lot of effort into her appearance for the night: she’d arranged her hair in waves down her shoulders and wore a black dress that showed off her toned shoulders. “I could say the same about you. I think I recognize that dress.”

Sara was wearing a form-fitting red dress that gave Ava an amazing view of her cleavage. “You should. It’s the dress I wore on our first date.”

“Oh, how could I forget that dress!” Ava laughed. “Just promise you won’t stand me up this time. Jerk.”

Sara smiled. “With you looking like that, it would be absolutely impossible to leave you. “

She moved over to kiss her wife’s neck, but was interrupted by a knock on the door announcing the Legends’ arrival. When Ava opened the door, she noticed that Nate was holding two boxes of pizza, while Mick held two six-packs of beer. 

“No, oh no. We already told you that there wouldn’t be any drinking while you’re watching the baby.”

“Hey, relax,” Mick said. “Amaya, Ray, and Wally aren’t going to have any, so that’s three of us who’ll be sober and responsible.”

“Oh, that makes me feel SO MUCH better, that one of the three sober individuals is the one who's never held a baby before in his life.” 

“Hey!” Wally shouted from across the room, where he’d already planted himself in front of the t.v. with a slice of pizza. “I’ve held a baby before.”

“Yeah, it was Laurel, and it was ONCE. And you gave her back to Zari after a solid five seconds.”

“She pooped while I was holding her!”

“You can’t even change a diaper. Great, this is all just great!”

“GUYS!” Sara yelled. The group quit bickering to listen to her. “Team, I am your captain. That means that you still have to do whatever the hell I tell you. And I’m telling you that I am putting my daughter in your care. She is the most important thing in the world to me, and if a hair on her head is put in any harm’s way, I will personally kick each of your asses so hard that you’re gonna wish I had gone ahead and killed you. That also means no drinking. If so much as one of those 12 beers or any of our wine or liquor has disappeared when we get back, again… you’re gonna wish I killed you. Got it?”

“Got it,” came the collective murmer.

“Mick?” 

“Got it, boss.”

Sara pointed her fingers at her eyes, then back at Mick in an “I’m watching you” gesture. 

Sara then turned to her wife. “And Ava, I know you love Laurel, but she’s going to be FINE. How many times has my team saved the world? I think they can contend with an 8-month-old baby that can’t even crawl yet.”

“I know, I know. It’s just… it’s hard.”

Sara smiled and whispered so only Ava could hear her. “I get it. I was a little nervous about it this morning, but then I remembered that they're my team, and I trust them, and so do you. You’ll be fine, too.”

Ava turned back to the Legends. Amaya, Nate and Ray were already on the floor playing with Laurel. Laurel was sitting in Ray’s lap while Nate make “peek-a-boo” faces at her, eliciting a loud laugh from the baby. Zari was sitting on the couch and was already shoveling pizza into her mouth (no surprise there), where Mick and Wally were scanning through Netflix to pick a tv show to watch. 

Ava took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Things would be just fine. The Legends loved Laurel and wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Ava was just being a nervous mom, but she was going to let it go and have a wonderful date with her wife. 

“Okay… Sara fed her dinner about an hour ago, so she should be ok until right before bed. She’s also had her bath already, so you shouldn’t need to give her one unless she has a major blowout or something. I set her pajamas out on the changing table with some diapers, so be sure to put her in a clean diaper and her jammies before bed. There’s some milk in the fridge, and I set some bottles out on the counter. Heat the milk up on the stove before giving it to her, and make sure you test it on your wrist first so it’s not too hot. We typically put her to bed at 8. She might fall asleep after you feed her, but if she doesn’t just rock her until she does. And put her on her back when she’s in the crib, being on her stomach increases the risk of SIDS and-“

“AVA.” Sara interrupted her wife’s monologue, which was getting more and more frenzied by the moment, and escorted her out the door. “They get it. She’s fine. Let’s grab a cab and get to the restaurant.” She turned toward her team. “We’ll be back by 10:30. Only call if there’s an emergency. Have fun, and please, please, please don’t drink. Or leave Mick alone with the baby.”

“Hey, I heard that!” 

Sara snorted as she shut the door and turned the key in the lock. She turned toward Ava. “You okay?”

Ava gave a smile. “I’m okay. Thanks for getting me out of there. It’s better now that I’m actually out of the room.”

Sara smiled in return. “Good.” She put her arm out. “Now, Mrs. Lance, may I have the pleasure of taking you on a date?”

Ava wove her arm through Sara’s. “Well, of course you may, Mrs. Lance. And really, the pleasure is all mine.”

***

The evening went smoothly for the first two hours that the Legends were watching the baby. Laurel was happy to play on the floor with Zari while the rest of the team ate pizza (Zari was the first to finish eating, of course), and to be passed from lap to lap, sucking contentedly on a pacifier, while they watched Stranger Things. Amaya had argued for something a bit more kid-friendly, but Wally claimed that the baby was too little to understand or be scared by any of it, which proved to be true.

However, when bedtime rolled around at 8 PM, the happy and easy-going little girl transformed into, as Ray put it, “The Demogorgon.” She fought Amaya as she changed her diaper and put her in the fluffy pink onesie Ava had set out for her to sleep in. She refused her bottle, and screamed for an hour straight. No amount of rocking, bouncing, rubbing her back, or soothing sounds comforted her. She spit out her pacifier and became red-faced, sweaty, and tear-soaked. They took off her pajamas, thinking she might be hot, and put them back on 20 minutes later in fear that she might actually be cold. She finally exhausted herself and fell asleep in Zari’s arms at 9:00, but was awake and screaming again 45 minutes later. 

It was Nate’s turn to try to calm Laurel, and he was walking around the apartment, bouncing her as she wailed miserably. “I think we really need to call Sara and get them to come home. This isn’t working.”

“We CAN’T!” Zari argued. “They never get the chance to go out, just the two of them. I don’t want to ruin it for them.”

“Well you try to get her to sleep then!”

“Excuse me, who was the one that managed to get her down at 9:00?”

“Yeah, and that obviously worked out really great for us.”

“SHUT UP” came a gruff voice. Mick had very little contact with the baby that night. He claimed to be very fond of Laurel, but also claimed that she was “freaking him out” because she was looking at him “exactly like Sara does.”

“Let me try to get her to sleep.”

Amaya spoke up from the couch. “I don’t know, you’re not exactly the most gentle person…”

“I can be gentle! I’m as gentle as a flower. Wally, go heat up some of the boob juice from the fridge. Nate, give her here.”

Mick took the still-screaming baby from Nate, placing her against his shoulder and rubbing her back gently as he slowly walked back and forth across the living room. To everyone’s surprise, within 5 minutes, the screaming had quieted to soft whimpers.

When Wally had heated up her milk and put it in a bottle, he handed it to Mick, who carried Laurel to her room and settled with her in the rocking chair, not looking nearly as out-of-place as one might expect. He offered her the bottle and she actually began drinking it, her eyes closing contentedly as she sucked. When she finished the bottle, Mick again held her at his shoulder and gently patted her back, helping her to release a loud burp. He then cradled her in his arms and began rocking back and forth slowly. Within 10 minutes she was fast asleep. 

***

Ava and Sara arrived back by 10:30, as they had promised. Both were giggly, Sara was slightly tipsy, and, if Ava’s smeared lipstick and the red smudges on Sara’s neck were any indication, they’d made good on Sara’s offer of making out in the cab on the way home. They entered the apartment and saw all of the Legends, sans Mick, watching Stranger Things on the couch. 

“How was everything?” Ava asked, setting her purse down. “I hope she didn’t give you much trouble.”

“Well, she sure doesn’t like going to sleep,” Wally said.

Ava’s face fell. “Oh no. Where is she now? And where’s Mick? Oh God, tell me you guys didn’t leave him to watch her alone.”

Sara touched her wife’s arm. “Aves, it’s ok. Come here.” 

She led her wife down the hall to Laurel’s room, where they both peered in the doorway. “Look at that.”

You could have knocked Ava over with a feather. There was Mick Rory, in the rocking chair, holding their daughter, who was fast asleep. He looked up at them and placed his finger on his lips in a “Shhhhhhhh” gesture. 

“You got her to sleep,” she said quietly.

“I’m a baby whisperer. I think she actually kinda likes me,” he responded, with more than a hint of amazement in his voice. 

“Of course she does,” Sara said. “You’re her uncle and you care about her. Babies can sense that.”

Mick smiled down at the sleeping baby. “Guess I’m not used to having someone like me like that. It’s kinda nice.”

Ava quietly walked over and put her arms out for him to hand her the baby. “Here, I’ll put her in her crib. Thanks for everything you’ve done. I’m sorry I underestimated you.” 

“It’s ok. Most people underestimate me at first, so I’m used to it. But like I said, the kid actually seems to like me.” He looked up at Ava after handing Laurel to her. Laurel gave a slight whimper, but didn’t wake up. “Maybe we can all do this again sometime. Watch her, I mean. I’d really like that.”

“I think Laurel would like that, too. Sara’s right- you guys do make the best team.”


	3. First Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet moment on Laurel's first birthday

Sara stood over Laurel’s crib, quietly watching her daughter sleep. It was 5:00 in the morning and still dark outside, but Sara was having trouble sleeping. It was a big day today- it was Laurel’s first birthday. Everything was ready for her party- the cake had been ordered, balloons blown up, the apartment decorated. Ava had ordered a dress from Etsy with “Wild One” printed across the front for Laurel to wear at the party. All of the Legends were coming, as were both of Sara’s parents, Oliver and Felicity and their two boys, John and Lyla and their son, and all the way from Central City, Barry and Iris and their daughter Nora, who was six months older than Laurel. Sara and Ava hadn’t wanted to do anything too big, because Laurel wouldn’t even remember it, but their friends had insisted on helping make the day extra-special. 

Sara couldn’t believe how fast the year had gone by. Laurel was quickly transforming from baby to toddler. She had started walking two weeks before, and was already a pro. She was a chatterbox, and almost constantly babbled incoherently, convinced her moms could understand every word she was saying. Her blonde hair was long enough to be clipped back with a bow, and when she was angry, her face was an exact mirror of Sara’s “mad face.” She looked more like Sara, as she shared her eyes, mouth, chin, and facial structure, but based on her growth projections from the pediatrician, she was going to be tall like Ava, and her cute nose and ears were Ava’s, too. Even after all this time, Sara couldn’t believe that she and Ava had made such a perfect thing. 

As she looked at her daughter, Sara remembered the first time that she saw her, as Ava pulled her from the water of the birthing pool. It didn’t seem real, to see the tiny baby cradled against Ava’s chest. It was hard to think that this was the baby she had hoped for, and talked to, and loved for 9 months. Sara had never seen a newborn baby before, and if she had been on the outside looking in, her first thought would have been that she looked much more odd than Sara expected. She was coated in a strange cheese-like substance (Vernix, according to their midwife), had a cone-shaped head, and her puckered facial features made her look like a little old man. But the second Sara laid eyes on her daughter, there was an instant connection. She was the most beautiful thing Sara had ever seen, and the wail that she let out as she took her first breath was the most beautiful sound Sara had ever heard. As Ava sobbed in relief and joy, Sara had cried too, touching her daughter’s head softly and telling her “I love you” over and over. She wanted to be sure that the first thing that her daughter ever heard from her was “I love you,” because she wanted her to know that no matter what she did, or where she went, or who she loved, her mommy would love her unconditionally. 

The next few hours after Laurel’s birth had gone by in a whirlwind. The placenta was delivered, the baby was weighed (9 pounds, 1 oz., bigger than Sara or Ava had predicted, and prompting Ava to proclaim “No wonder that hurt so much!”), and the midwife helped Ava feed the baby for the first time. Sara called the Waverider to let her team know that the birth had gone to plan and that Ava and the baby were healthy and safe, and she was surprised to find out later that both Ray and Nate had cried at the news. 

She FaceTimed both her mom and her dad to show them their first grandchild. Quentin Lance cried, one of only a handful of times that Sara had ever seen him get emotional (the last being when Laurel died). He had been so excited to find out that the baby was a girl. Her father had a soft spot for little girls, and he promised that he would be her Little League coach, just as he had for both of his daughters. Dinah cried as well, particularly when she learned that they named their daughter Dinah Laurel. 

“She looks just like you did when you were born,” her mother told her. “You puckered your lips up like that, and you also had that little cowlick in the front.” Her mom was flying in to Star City for a few days to help Sara and Ava as they adjusted to parenthood.

When everyone had left and the new family was alone for the first time, Sara held the baby, wrapped in a soft pink receiving blanket, while Ava got some much-deserved sleep next to them on the bed. Sara couldn’t stop staring at and touching her daughter. She traced her fingers lightly over her rosebud lips, the dimple in her chin, her button nose. She swept back the light hair on her head, and marveled at her teeny tiny fingernails, and wondered how on earth they were going to cut them. She bent down to press a kiss to Laurel’s forehead, and whispered “I will always love you, no matter what, and I will always protect you, no matter what. I won’t ever let you forget that.”

Sara’s memory was cut short by a slight stirring in the crib below her. Laurel made a whimpering noise in her sleep. Sara smiled, and, careful not to wake up her up, she picked her up and carried her into her room, where Ava was still asleep. Ava woke up when Sara got back in the bed with the baby. 

“Is it morning already?” she asked sleepily.

“No, I just thought we all should cuddle together for a little bit,” Sara replied as she laid Laurel down between them. Laurel, still asleep, instinctively snuggled close to Ava, and Ava wrapped her arms around her gently. Sara settled herself at her daughter’s back, softly running her fingers through her hair. 

“I don’t even remember what life was like without her, and I don’t really want to.”

“Me either,” Ava whispered. “Being her mom is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“She makes all the hard parts worth it,” Sara said, placing a kiss on the back of the baby’s head. They had a big day in front of them, but Sara knew this was going to be her favorite part: lazy snuggles in bed, just their family. 

“Happy Birthday, sweet girl,” Sara whispered. “I hope all your dreams come true.”


	4. Deserving Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Alex make a trip to Earth One and go on a picnic with the Lance family. Sara and Alex talk about happiness, and their past, and their futures. Also featuring Kara being an adorable dork, Supercorp weddings, and a surprising pairing.

Kara and Alex rarely made trips to Earth One. Their lives on their own Earth were busy enough. 

When not covering National City’s top stories as one of the leading journalists for CatCo Magazine, or protecting the city as Supergirl, Kara was busy planning her wedding to Lena Luthor. Everyone knew that the two women were deeply in love with each other- everyone except for Kara and Lena, that is. After years of skirting around their mutual attraction, and Lena’s anger and hurt that Kara had kept her identity as Supergirl from her, the two finally began dating. Lena proposed less than a year later, and their wedding was going to be a small, simple affair at Eliza Danvers’ home in Midvale. Kara was giddier than Alex had seen her in a long time, and she relished even the tiniest details of wedding planning, from choosing the song she and Lena would dance to for their first dance (“I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles) to picking the brand of bubbles that guests would blow as they walked to the car for their honeymoon. Both Kara and Lena had experienced so much hurt, pain, abandonment in their short lives, and they, more than anyone, deserved a happy ending.

And Alex- well, Alex had risen to the top of the DEO, and was J’onn’s co-Director. J’onn had “partially retired,” and claimed he needed a strong co-Director to head things full time, but, because J’onn was J’onn, he wasn’t working any less. But Alex was proud of the promotion, and she enjoyed her new role. She was also becoming a leading expert on Kryptonian technology, and had successfully She was visiting Earth One because Felicity (back as the CEO of Palmer Technologies) had contacted her about helping Palmer Tech utilize the Kryptonian technology to make new products (and, secretly, for Team Arrow to utilize forms of Kryptonian weaponry). 

Kara tagged along on the trip in order to personally deliver wedding invitations to the friends she’d made in the other Earth. She gave the invitation to Oliver when she met him in the Arrowcave, quickly flew over to Central City to give the invitation to Barry, and, not knowing the best way to reach the Legends, got Sara’s phone number from Oliver. Sara told her that she wasn’t on the Waverider at the moment, but would pass the invitation on to her team when she next came aboard. She invited Kara and Alex to meet her, her wife, and their daughter at a nearby park, where they were planning a picnic for lunch.

Kara was, of course, thrilled at the prospect of a picnic, with a baby, no less. Alex, much less so. She still felt awkward around Sara, even almost five years after their one night stand. She’d last seen Sara when she and Ava came to their Earth in order to get pregnant. Sara seemed keyed up, afraid that the procedure wouldn’t take, and her wife, Ava, came armed with a whole host of questions, most of which Alex didn’t have definitive answers to. But the procedure worked; Alex was able to combine Ava’s egg with Sara’s DNA and grow an embryo that she then implanted in Ava. It had presumably resulted in the daughter that she and Kara would be meeting that day. 

“Come on, Alex, it’ll be fun! We’ll get to play with the baby! I’ve seen a picture of her, she’s super cute. And the park is great! There’s a duck pond and walking trails and everything. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?” Kara made a pouty face that she knew her sister couldn’t refuse. 

“Ohhhhhh fine. But we’re bringing a bottle of wine, because I’m gonna need it.”

They ended up bringing far more than just a bottle of wine- they also brought sandwiches, potstickers, five bags of potato chips, and gourmet chocolate chip cookies that Kara proclaimed were the best in Star City. Alex KNEW it was a mistake letting Kara into the store alone! 

They borrowed Felicity’s car and drove to the park, where they saw Sara, Ava, and the baby in the parking lot. Kara excitedly hopped out and ran over to greet them, while Alex parked the car and walked over more slowly, trying not to mentally freak out.

Ava was the type of woman that Alex always wished she could be. Tall, slim, blonde, and beautiful. She was casually dressed in jeans rolled up at the ankles, a loose blue shirt, clean New Balance sneakers, and a wide-brimmed hat. The woman looked like she had walked out of a J Crew catalogue, for crying out loud.

Sara looked a far cry from the woman Alex had sex with at Barry and Iris’s wedding. She seemed brighter, happier, less cynical. Her hair was loose down her shoulders, and she wasn’t wearing any make-up, which made the freckles all over her face stand out. Even though she was five years older, she looked much younger and lighter. Is this what happiness could do to a person?

Sara was trying to strap the baby to her chest in a baby carrier. Kara was right- she WAS super cute. She was just as blonde as both of her mothers, and her hair was clipped back from her eyes with a small pink bow. She wore navy leggings with a floral print, New Balance sneakers that were exact miniatures of the ones Ava was wearing, and a white tshirt with “The Future is Female” printed on the front. Alex could hear Kara practically squealing because the baby was wearing sunglasses. 

“Hey, you!” Sara said as Alex walked up. She seemed genuinely happy to see her. “You remember Ava, right? And this is Laurel.”

The baby looked up at Alex and gave an enthusiastic wave. “Hi!” she said, smiling and showing off four tiny teeth.

Alex felt all of her anxiousness disappear. How could she have been worried about this? “Hi, cutie!” she said, giving her a smile in return. “You’re looking like such a big girl.” She glanced at Sara. “She looks just like you. How old is she now?” 

Sara smiled. “She just turned one last week. I still can’t believe it.”

“I’ve heard it goes by so fast.” She looked back at Laurel. “Those are some teeth you’ve got there.”

“Oh, she loves using those,” Ava said as she took a picnic basket and blanket out of their car (an SUV- Sara Lance had become a genuine SUV-driving mom). “Her daycare teacher said that she tries to bite the other kids if they’re playing with a toy that she wants. And she likes to bite ME when I’m feeding her sometimes. Just out of nowhere, CHOMP. She actually drew blood a few nights ago.”

“It’s really harder on me,” Sara said. “Ava hasn’t let me near her boobs in days because the kid tore them up so bad.”

“SARA!” Ava said with a blush, although she smiled as she said it. Sara’s raunchy humor was well-known, and neither Alex nor Kara minded the joke one bit. 

“I’m trying to get Ava to let me teach her how to use her teeth as part of a detailed self-defense program, but she said that a year old is just a liiiiiiitle too young for that.”

“Maybe when she’s two,” Alex said with a wink.

“Exactly! See babe, Danvers knows what’s up.”

The little group walked down a trail toward a grassy area near the duck pond. They spread out the blanket in a shady spot, and pulled out all their picnic items. Sara and Ava had brought another bottle of wine, as well as a cheese platter, salad, and food for the baby. 

Laurel periodically held up pieces of her bananas and avocado up to Sara, who ate them right out of her hand with a “Thank you” each time. “We’re trying to really run home the manners thing,” she said in response to Alex’s quizzical look. 

“So, what brings you guys to our Earth?” Ava asked. 

“Well, Alex was doing some consulting work for Palmer Tech, and I just tagged along for fun. And to invite you guys to my wedding.”

“Wait- what?” Sara asked. “You’re engaged? To who?”

“Lena Luthor. Billionaire, CEO, sister of Superman’s crazed nemesis, my boss.”

“Damn,” Sara said. “Well- Congratulations! Can we see the ring?”

They all oohed and ahhed over Kara’s ring (much simpler than one might expect from Lena Luthor), and both Sara and Ava accepted the invitation wholeheartedly. “Although I sincerely hope there won’t be any Nazis at YOUR wedding,” Sara added.

After eating, Laurel began getting restless, and Ava and Kara offered to take her over to the pond to see the ducks. As Laurel clung to Kara’s finger, the two walked (Kara) and toddled (Laurel) toward the pond. 

“She’s going to end up carrying her before they get there,” Sara said. “Laurel’s only been walking for a few weeks. She loves it, but she still gets tired and she’s got a little bit of a lazy streak and knows that if she just plops down, somebody will end up carrying her.” Sure enough, Laurel plopped to the ground and Ava picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to the pond, making Sara and Alex laugh. 

Sara got a more serious look on her face. “I can’t thank you enough for all you did helping us get pregnant. She’s by far the best thing in our life.”

Alex smiled. “When I saw you all today, the first thing I thought was how happy you look. Beautiful wife, cute daughter- you’re living the life!”

Sara laughed. “I am definitely living the life! Ava and Laurel- they’re everything to me. For a long time I thought that I wasn’t worth having a relationship like this, a life like this. But I took some very good advice that an old friend once told me- I trusted my instincts, I went for it, and I found out that there was someone else out there for me. And it’s lasted far more than just one night. Thanks for that, too.”

Alex smiled softly. “Anytime.”

“And what about you? Did you take the same advice?”

Alex sighed. “You know, it wasn’t easy, especially at first. I was so afraid of being hurt again that I found it hard to put myself out there, and to look for love again. I was single for a while. But then I decided to go with my instincts. I met somebody at Lena Luthor’s Christmas party four years ago. Her assistant, actually. Jess. We hadn’t ever met before, but we started talking and just really hit it off. My instincts said to go for it, so I asked her out for coffee the next day. One coffee date turned into another and…” 

Alex showed Sara her left hand, and Sara saw a thin gold band around her ring finger, which she’d noticed as soon as she saw Alex, but waited to ask about. 

“How long have you been married?”

“Almost two years. And she’s expecting, too. We used the same method you all did to get pregnant. She’s six months along, with a girl. We’re naming her Hannah.”

“Wow,” Sara said as a smile grew on her face. “I’m so happy for you, Alex.” 

Alex smiled. “I’m happy for you too. Who would’ve thought it? Five years ago we were two jaded women who were convinced we were going to die alone. And now we’ve got wives and kids and are actually happy.”

They watched Ava and Kara point the ducks out to Laurel, and Kara was obviously making “quacking” sounds with her, which made Laurel laugh hysterically. Ava sat down on the grass and blew dandelion seeds, and Laurel toddled after them gleefully. Kara helped her up each time she fell down on her bottom, but in true Lance fashion, she got up without crying and continued right on as she had before. 

“I can’t wait for this,” Alex said. “You know, doing things like this with my own baby. I’ve been waiting for it for so long, and I can’t believe it’s almost here.”

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Sara responded. “But hold on to it, it goes by so fast. Seems like yesterday that she was a newborn. And then tomorrow she’s going to be graduating from high school.”

“Gosh, that’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but every step of the way is worth it. You’ll see.”

They glanced up to see Kara, Ava, and Laurel heading back toward then. Ava was holding Laurel. 

“Little miss is getting tired,” she said. “I think she’s going to fall asleep in the car.”

“It is almost her nap time,” Sara said. It was almost funny to see badass, ex-assassin Sara Lance in this light, talking about teaching manners and naptime and being sad about babies growing up. 

The group packed up their picnic and walked back to their cars. Laurel fell asleep in the baby carrier, nestled against Sara’s chest, on the walk, and Kara proclaimed it one of the cutest things she’d seen. Alex asked for the brand of the carrier and hoped they had a product like it on her Earth, because she could imagine herself carrying her baby around like that, too. 

Sara strapped the still-sleeping Laurel into her car seat, and Ava and Alex packed up their respective cars. The four women gathered together to hug and say goodbye. As Sara and Kara chatted, Ava briefly pulled Alex to the side. She hugged her and whispered “Thank you. For Laurel, and for Sara. I know what you did for her five years ago.”

“She told you that we slept together?” Alex asked warily, afraid of the wrath of a jealous wife. 

“No, I just guessed. I mean, look at you- there’s no way Sara WOULDN’T have slept with you when she was single. But when we first started dating, she told me she asked me out because she was trying to trust her instincts, and that a friend told her that at a wedding. I put two and two together, and again, it was just a guess about the sex. But your sister told me how happy you are. I can’t think of two people who deserve to be happy more than you and Sara.”

Alex smiled. “That really means a lot.”

“Go back to your Earth and keep on being happy, Alex. Sara, Laurel, and I are rooting for you.” 

“Ready to go, Al?” Kara called out.  
“Yeah,” Alex responded. She walked over and gave Sara a tight hug. “Can’t wait to see you all at the wedding. And- if you want to make that sweet girl a big sister… you know where to find me.”

Sara smiled. “We might take you up on that, Danvers. Good luck with everything, especially with the new baby. Let me know if you need anything. We’ll be in touch.”

As Kara drove the car away, she glanced at her sister. “You seem… quiet. Is everything good?”

Alex smiled softly. “Yeah, everything is just great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex x Jess isn't a pairing I've seen before, but I've developed a fondness for Jess through reading plenty of fanfics she featured in. I thought our loyal assistant deserves some happiness, too.


	5. Don't Go to Bed Angry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Sara get in a fight over work that becomes deeply personal. Sara remembers that her father once told her to never go to bed angry with her spouse, so she takes matters into her own hands to make up with her wife. Featuring lots of yelling, angst, and Mick Rory being a perv.

The Legends had almost fucked things up. Which was, in Sara’s opinion, far different than actually fucking them up. They were dealing with a slight anachronism- Ghengis Khan and his horse had managed to find their way to Victorian London and were terrifying the sensible Englishmen with a bow and arrow- when Ray managed to drop a new prototype that he’d been tinkering with. One thing lead to another, and by 2018 half the world would be a post-apocalyptic wasteland. As always, with plenty of ingenuity and kick-ass fighting skills, the Legends managed to set the world back to normal. 

When the team climbed back aboard the Waverider, still riding the high that came after their victory, the first thing they saw was Ava. And she was not happy. In fact, she looked pretty pissed off. 

“What the hell do you all think that you’re doing?” she yelled. 

Zari: “Fixing time?” 

Ray: “Saving the world?” 

Mick: “Kicking ass.”

Ava ignored them. “Captain Lance! I SPECIFICALLY told you to hold off on any action until the Time Bureau could get a team into place! And you were supposed to follow THEIR orders!”

Oh, she was Captain Lance now, was she? Sara had planned on playing it off with a bit of humor, but Ava was hitting what she knew was a sore spot. And Sara was quickly finding herself becoming pissed, too.

“Well, DIRECTOR SHARPE, we would have waited on the Time Bureau, but it became clear that your agents didn’t grasp the seriousness or the urgency of the situation. AND their plan sucked.”

“So you deliberately disobeyed orders and put your team, my agents, and the rest of the world in danger?”

“I didn’t put the rest of the world in danger! And even if I HAD, it seemed to work out pretty fucking well, don’t you think?”

“Pretty fucking well? You all got out of there by the skin of your teeth. You’re lucky no one got killed. I’m shocked that none of you were even injured.”

“I think by now you would know that I always save my team, Ava. No matter what.”

As the two women yelled at one another, Ray motioned for the rest of the Legends to follow him out of the room. 

Wally seemed disappointed. “Awww, I wanted to find out which Mrs. Lance was going to win.”

“I was hoping they’d start having angry sex,” Mick said.

Everyone turned to look at him with shocked expressions on their faces.

“What? Can’t you see how fired up they were getting? Angry sex is the second best type of sex, after break-up sex. And with them doing it? It’d be really hot.”

“Great, now I can’t get THAT image out of my head,” Zari said with a shudder.

“Yeah, me either,” said Mick with a smile, earning himself a “Gross” from Zari and a punch on the shoulder from Nate. 

The team all made their way back to their rooms (no one wanted to think about what Rory was doing in his) or to the kitchen to get Gideon to make them a post-fight snack. So none of them were around to see Sara storming into the hall, hastily wiping tears from her eyes as she strode into her quarters, told Gideon to “close the fucking door,” and threw her hairbrush against the wall. 

She sat down hard on the bed, her breath coming in heaving puffs. Things had NOT gone well with Ava. They had shared more harsh words, getting more and more worked up until Ava used the time courier to open a portal to her office and leaving Sara with a harsh “Don’t bother coming home tonight.”

They’d had many disagreements and arguments throughout their relationship, but Ava had NEVER said “don’t bother coming home.” That hurt. It hurt deeply. 

When they first got together, they promised not to let work issues get in the way of their relationship. And for the most part, they were successful at it. At work, Sara was Captain of the Waverider and leader of the Legends, and Ava was Director Sharpe of the Time Bureau. It was one of the reasons Ava chose to use her maiden name professionally. It was almost like having dual identities. She could be Director Sharpe at work, but at home, she could leave that identity behind, and be Ava Lance, wife to Sara and mother to Laurel. When she was Ava, she could be friends with the Legends, joke around with them and have fun with them. When she was Director Sharpe, she had to be their boss.

But the fight today had definitely blurred the lines between home life and work life, and it had made Sara angry, and hurt, and confused. Those were too many strong negative emotions to be dealing with all at once, so she tried to forget. She spent the evening downing Scotch and throwing knives at a target on the wall, but she just ended up stewing in her anger. 

As she was pulling the knife out of the target for the umpteenth time, a memory suddenly came to her. It was from three years before, in that very room, on her wedding day. Her dress was on, hair and makeup done, and her father came in to get a look at her before walking with her to the ceremony at the center of the Waverider. Sara had asked him if he had any “last minute advice” for her before she tied the knot. 

Quentin Lance smiled at his daughter and said “Don’t ever go to bed mad. I wasn’t always the best husband, but that’s one thing that I always did. If your mom and I were arguing about something, I made sure that we worked it out by bedtime. Or, at least weren’t angry at each other by then. You can learn a lot about what not to do in a marriage from us, but that’s the one piece of good advice that I can offer you.” 

Ava put her knives and the Scotch away and grabbed her bag. She used a time courier (which she technically wasn’t supposed to have, but Ava let it slide because it allowed Sara to easily come home from the Waverider) to open a portal to right outside their apartment. Sara unlocked the door, set her bag in the entryway closet, and looked around. It was 9:30, so Laurel was already asleep, but Ava was nowhere to be found. She quietly made her way down the hall to Laurel’s room, where she opened the door and walked to the crib. She smoothed her daughter’s hair back and softly kissed her head, then arranged her blanket over her to cover her better. 

Sara then walked into the master bedroom. She saw Ava lying in the bed, turned away from the door, but it was apparent that she was still awake. Sara walked to their bed and silently climbed under the covers. She touched Ava’s arm, and when her wife didn’t flinch away, she wrapped both arms around her and placed a kiss to her bare shoulder. She heard Ava sniffle a bit, and her heart broke with the thought that she’d been crying. 

“I’m so sorry,” Sara whispered against Ava’s shoulder. “I was completely out of line.”

Ava suddenly turned in Sara’s arms and buried her face in her neck. Sara felt Ava’s tears running down her neck, and the shaking of her shoulders indicated how hard she was crying. Sara held her as she cried, stroking her hair and whispering. “Shhhhhhhh. Shhhhhhhh, I’m here, baby, I’m right here.”

Sara didn’t know how long Ava cried. When her shoulders stopped shaking and her breathing grew more even, Sara sat up, gently pulling Ava up with her. Ava’s eyes were red from crying, and Sara was reminded of how young and vulnerable she looked, laid bare like that. She cupped Ava’s face in her hands and smoothed the pads of her thumbs along her cheeks, wiping away the stray tears that still lingered there. 

Ava finally spoke. “I’m so, so glad you came home. I almost made myself sick today thinking about what I said to you. I hated myself for it the whole time. Making dinner, bathing Laurel, putting her to bed- I hated myself for telling you not to come home to be a part of that. I hated myself for making you be alone on that ship, and for making myself be alone here.” 

Sara smiled softly. “It’s ok. I’m here now.”

“You weren’t the one who was out of line. I was. It’s just… it’s so HARD sometimes. Because I’m trying to balance my role as Director with my role as your wife. The Director side of me says that protocol must be followed at all times, and that there’s a right way and a wrong way to fix time. But the wife side of me says that the Legends know what they’re doing, and that you know what needs to be done, and what’s the right thing to do, protocol be damned. And I know that you’ll do anything in your power to save your team, and that you are a damn good Captain. And… when it comes down to the line, my role as your wife comes first. It always has, and it always will. And I’m sorry that I didn’t show that today.”

Sara brushed Ava’s hair behind her ear. “I know. I know how hard you’ve worked to get to that top spot, and you are a damn good Director. And you’re an even better wife.” 

“I was just… I was so worried. All day, all I could think about was the possibility of losing you. And I just… I lost it.”

“It’s ok. I would have lost it too, if it was you out there in the field.”

“I was afraid you weren’t ever going to come home.”

“Know that no matter where I am, or what I’m doing, or what you say to me, I will always, always, ALWAYS come home to you. That’s a promise, and I always keep my promises.”

“I know. I’m just so glad you’re here now.”

Ava moved so that their foreheads were touching. Their breathing moved in sync, and Sara could feel Ava’s warm breath on her face. Sara stroked Ava’s cheeks, and their breathing grew heavier. The mood shifted to something deeper, more sensual, more primal. “Let me apologize. Let me make it up to you,” Ava whispered.

Sara leaned forward and captured Ava’s lips in a kiss. She poured every emotion she had felt that day into the kiss- the anger, the sadness, the hurt, the forgiveness. She rubbed her tongue along Ava’s bottom lip, and when Ava opened her mouth, she immediately licked in, exploring every crevice from top to bottom. Ava’s tongue met hers, and then Ava moved into Sara’s mouth. Sara began sucking on Ava’s tongue, and Ava let out a slight moan. 

Ava moved her hands under Sara’s shirt, running them along the soft skin of her back and then to her front, stroking the toned muscles of her stomach. She then moved up, cupping Sara’s breasts and massaging her nipples gently through her bra. 

“Here,” Sara whispered, pulling off her shirt and unclasping her bra so that Ava could gain easier access. 

Ava guided Sara until she laid down, and kissed down her jaw, sucked on her earlobe, and pressed her tongue into a spot right below Sara’s ear that was so sensitive it made her gasp at the contact. Ava continued to place kisses down her neck, to her throat, and then her chest, where she kissed and sucked Sara’s nipples until they formed stiff peaks, eliciting soft moans. She kissed lower and lower, down the muscles of her stomach until she reached her pants, which she quickly unbuttoned and pulled off Sara’s legs. She made quick work of removing her underwear, and started kissing up her inner thighs, softly licking the soft expanse of skin at her bikini line. When she plunged in full force to Sara’s core, Sara let out a loud moan, covering her mouth quickly so as not to wake the baby. Ava took her time, interchangeably licking, sucking, swirling, and moving two, then three fingers in and out. She poured her own feelings into the act, wanting Sara to feel her pain, and her joy, but most of all, her apology, and her forgiveness. Sara came suddenly, clenching around Ava’s fingers and letting out a short cry. Ava removed her fingers and moved her way up, placing a sensual kiss on Sara’s mouth, letting her taste herself on Ava’s lips. She laid her head on Sara’s still-heaving chest. 

Sara ran her fingers through Ava’s hair. “Damn. That was some apology.” 

Ava smiled. “Luckily, you’re a lot of fun to apologize to.”

“I’ll give you my own apology in second. Just… let me recover first.”

“I can wait,” Ava said, although she removed her pajamas and underwear so that she could lie on top of Sara skin-to-skin. 

“You know, if you hadn’t come home, I was going to call you and tell you to come back,” Ava said.

“Really?”

“Yeah… it reminded me of something your dad told me when we got married. He said if there’s one piece of married advice he could give, it’s to never go to bed angry with each other. And I couldn’t bear the thought of going to sleep without clearing the air with you first.”

“Funny… I was thinking the same thing,” Sara said, placing a kiss on Ava’s forehead. “I love you.”

Ava smiled. “I love you, too.”

“Now, let me apologize to YOU for a bit.”

The two apologized over and over that night, into the early hours of the morning. Needless to say, neither Ava nor Sara went to bed angry after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else sometimes feel really awkward writing smut or is it just me?


	6. I Know a Thing or Two about Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurel has her first nightmare, and Sara is there to help her through it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter. I'm planning for the next chapter to be the Supercorp wedding, so I wanted to get a little something out before spending time writing that.

Sara was jarred out of sleep by the sound of crying coming from the baby monitor sitting beside the bed. Ava groaned beside her; she’d had a hard day at work, and had only gotten home two hours before. She deserved to get some rest. 

Sara rubbed her arm. “It’s ok, I’m gonna go see what’s wrong. Go back to sleep.”

It had been a while since Laurel had woken up crying in the middle of the night like this. She was 18 months old now, and had been sleeping through the night since she was 8 months. Sara and Ava had both gotten used to getting full nights of sleep again, so this kind of behavior from her was highly unusual.

Sara walked to Laurel’s room and opened the door, where she found her standing up in her crib, crying loudly and open-mouthed with hiccupping sobs. When she saw Sara, she reached her little arms out to her and wailed “Mooooooooooomy” in the most pitiful voice Sara had ever heard. 

Sara rushed over to pick her up. Laurel wrapped her arms around Sara’s neck and buried her face in her shoulder. She latched her mouth onto the exposed skin near her collarbone and began sucking softly, a self-soothing mannerism carried over from babyhood. Sara could already feel the wetness of her tears through the thin fabric of her pajama shirt. Sara made soft “shhhhhhhhing” noises and rubbed Laurel’s back, trying to get her to calm down from the near-hysterical state she was in. 

After a minute or so of Sara comforting her, Laurel’s sobs softened to heavy sniffles, although she kept her head buried in Sara’s shoulder. 

Sara ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair and tried to feel her forehead. She didn’t seem hot, so she doubted that she was sick. She also doubted that she was hurt; she wasn’t able to climb out of the crib, and Ava had gone a bit overboard in ensuring that the crib was fully padded and safe. 

“It’s ok, baby. Mommy’s here,” she said, placing a kiss on Laurel’s head. “Does your tummy hurt?” she asked. 

Laurel simply shook her head and simply said “Mommy” again in the same pitiful little voice. 

A thought struck Sara. The last time she’d seen Laurel act like this was a few weeks ago at the park, when she had missed a step on the jungle gym and tumbled to the ground. She thankfully wasn’t hurt, but it scared her so badly that it took Ava almost 20 minutes to calm her down. Could Laurel be scared? Could she have had her first nightmare?

Sara knew a thing or two about nightmares. They’d plagued her for years, ever since the Queen’s Gambit. They’d continued and gotten worse during her time with the League of Assassins, and during her first years in the Legends. The worst was after Mallus; almost every night for several years she had terrifying dreams, of little girls with spinning heads and dark voices and death. Ava helped her through them, whether it was holding her as she screamed or listening as she talked through them, or simply placing her hand on Sara’s arm so that she knew she was there. The nightmares had gotten better over time. Ava had convinced Sara to see a therapist every week, to talk through her memories, her emotions, and her fears. Having Ava and Laurel nearby also helped. Her nightmares had diminished from being nightly occurrences to only happening a few times a month. 

“Did you have a bad dream, baby? I’m so sorry you did. But you’re safe. Mommy’s here. I’m not going to leave you.” 

She moved to the rocking chair next to the crib and settled Laurel on her lap. They rocked for a while, Sara lightly scratching her daughter’s back while Laurel continued to gently mouth at Sara’s neck and tangle her little hands in her hair. She was breathing in deeply, as if Sara’s smell itself was a comfort to her. After 15 minutes or so, Sara thought she’d fallen asleep and moved to put her back in her crib. 

As she arranged the blanket over her sleeping daughter, and made sure that Woofie, her beloved stuffed dog, was at her side, Sara realized that she didn’t want Laurel to be alone. Some nightmares just required the comforting presence of someone who cared about you. She didn’t want to take her to their bed, because Ava deserved an uninterrupted rest, but she couldn’t bear to leave. Trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake Laurel, Sara slowly climbed into the crib, and curled herself around her daughter. It was slightly uncomfortable, but before Sara knew it, she had drifted off to sleep herself.

***

Ava woke up to the sound of her alarm at 6 am. She rolled over to wake Sara up and give her a kiss, but she found the space beside her empty. Confused, she glanced over at the video feed from the baby monitor on her bedside table. It was pointed at Laurel’s crib, so that they could check in on her as she slept or if something was wrong. 

To Ava’s surprise, when she looked at the monitor, Laurel wasn’t alone in her crib. Sara was asleep in the crib beside her. 

Ava walked to Laurel’s room, and moved over to the crib to look at her wife and daughter. Sara’s body was contorted in an awkward angle, and she didn’t have a blanket so she must have been cold, but her arm was protectively wrapped around Laurel and she wore a content expression on her face. Laurel was hugging Woofie with one hand and Sara’s arm with her other. It was one of the sweetest scenes Ava had ever seen. She quietly got her phone and snapped a picture so that she would be able to remember it forever. 

She leaned over the crib and rubbed Sara’s arm softly. Sara slowly opened her eyes, and glanced around her, as if trying to remember where she was and what she was doing there. Trying not to wake Laurel, she softly climbed out of the crib and followed Ava until their bedroom. 

“What were you doing in there?” Ava whispered.

Sara yawned and rolled her neck, as if she had a crick in it. “She woke up screaming at 3. I think she had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare? Isn’t she too young to have those?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she woke up and saw something and it freaked her out. But it doesn’t matter. She was so scared, Ava. I hated seeing her like that. It broke my heart. I couldn’t just leave her there alone.”

Ava rubbed her wife’s arm comfortingly. “It’s ok, I was just wondering.”

“It’s just… I know what it’s like to have nightmares. And I know that the last you want is to be by yourself. I wanted her to know that I was there, and that she was safe.” 

“I’m glad you were there for her.”

Sara smiled. “Me, too.”

For Sara, this was what motherhood was all about. Protecting her daughter, loving her daughter, and simply being there when she needed her, no matter what.


	7. I Choose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SuperCorp wedding! Friends and Family from Earths near and far gather to celebrate Kara and Lena on their special day. Meanwhile, Ava and Sara have made a big decision of their own that will dramatically change their family. 
> 
> Information about Kryptonian Wedding Traditions comes from this excellent website: http://kryptonculture.tumblr.com/post/50547622312/weddings-and-marriage-customs

The day that Kara Danvers was marrying Lena Luthor could not have been more perfect. Sunny, 65 degrees, and a slight breeze. Sara had spoken to Alex a few weeks before, and she told her that Kara had planned every detail of the wedding to precision, and that the weather was the only part of their plan they were nervous about. Both women were sure to be relieved that the weather turned out to be so perfect.

Holding hands, Sara and Ava made their way down to the beach by Eliza Danvers’ home, where the ceremony was going to be held. They were turning the wedding into an occasion for a mini-vacation. Dinah Lance had come to Star City for a few days to watch Laurel, since both Sara and Ava didn’t think their daughter was quite old enough to move between worlds yet. Besides, they had a greater purpose of coming to this world after the wedding was over. 

The wedding venue itself consisted of a white tent with a small number of chairs underneath and a small platform with a raised dais at the center, where the wedding party would be standing. 

“You know, from what I’ve heard about Lena Luthor, this is much simpler than I was expecting,” Ava said. 

“Alex said that Lena really let Kara take the lead with planning everything. I think there’s going to be some Kryptonian elements involved.”

“Being a guest at alien wedding ceremony… add that to this list of things that I never thought I’d do,” Ava said with a laugh.

Sara winked at her. “Says the woman who got married on a time ship traveling through the temporal zone.”

“Ouch, that hurts a little bit,” Ava replied, laughing even harder. “In all seriousness, I think the Kryptonian elements will be really cool. I mean, I’m a really big fan of Krypton, after all.” Laurel had been conceived using Kryptonian technology. It allowed them to create an embryo by combining Ava’s egg with Sara’s DNA, meaning there was no need for a sperm donor and that Laurel was the biological daughter of both. 

The number of wedding guests was small. Kara’s only family was Eliza and Alex, and Lena’s family was either dead or imprisoned. Besides Oliver and Felicity, Barry and Iris, Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, and Ray, the only other seated guests appeared to be DEO employees. 

They sat beside Barry and Iris and quietly caught up with what was happening in their lives. Barry was still acting as the Flash, while Iris was staying home with their two-year-old twins, who were both highly rambunctious and constantly kept both Barry and Iris on their feet. 

Ava quickly read through the program. The wedding party was small; Alex was, of course, Kara’s matron of honor, and Winn Schott, James Olsen, and Lucy Lane were her “bridespeople.” Lena would only be accompanied by Sam Arias, the CFO of L Corp and a close friend (which Ava only knew because of the Googling she did in their hotel room before the ceremony). 

When soft processional music filled the air, the crowd turned around to watch the wedding party walking down the isle. James seated Eliza, Kara’s adoptive mother, in the front row. Flowers marked four chairs on the front row that would be empty during the ceremony as a memorial for loved ones; two for Kara’s parents, one for her adoptive father Jeremiah, and one for Lena’s biological mother. Winn escorted a pretty Asian woman who was holding a sleeping baby wearing a little lace dress, and sat them next to Eliza, who bent down to kiss the baby on her head. That must be Jess, Alex’s wife and Lena’s former assistant (who, Alex told her, had recently been promoted to a Vice President position at L Corp) and their baby, Hannah, who was three or four months old. Alex emailed Sara pictures of her on a regular basis, and she was a truly beautiful baby. She had a head full of dark hair, bright almond-shaped eyes, and Alex’s nose and mouth. Kara said that Alex absolutely loved being a mom, and both Sara and Ava couldn’t wait to see Alex interacting with her daughter. 

Winn and James walked to the back of the venue, where James escorted Alex and Sam and Winn escorted Lucy to the platform. The bridesmaids were wearing matching navy dresses and were carrying small bouquets of plumerias, the same flowers that would be in both brides’ bouquets. Plumerias were a symbol of creation and recreation, and were special to both Kara and Lena. 

When Kara began to walk down the aisle, escorted by J’onn J’onnz, who had become a father figure to her, the music changed to a strange but beautiful instrumental piece, which was identified in the program as a traditional Kryptonian wedding song. Kara was wearing a simple white sleeveless dress, and her hair was arranged in a beautiful half up, half down style that highlighted the way her blonde waves cascaded down her back. She was wearing her glasses (since she was marrying under her Kara Danvers identity), but even with the glasses the emotion in her eyes was obvious, and she only became more emotional when she watched Lena walking down the aisle to “Concerning Hobbits,” from her favorite movie series, The Lord of the Rings. Lena walked down alone, which was how she wanted it. For Lena, it was symbolic. She was coming into the marriage alone, without any family or support, but she was marrying into a family filled with friends who loved her and supported her. Like Kara, she wore a simple white sleeveless dress, but her hair was arranged in a beautiful and classic chignon at the nape of her neck. 

J’onn stood with Kara and Lena, where he would be officiating. He explained that the Earth traditions of exchanging vows and rings would take place first, followed by the traditions central to Kryptonian wedding ceremonies. 

Kara prepared to read her vows first, and Lena took hold of her hands to stop them from shaking. Her voice was tight with emotion as she spoke: “Lena, you are my best friend and my partner in all things. You are my lover, my protector, my savior, and my hero. You mean more to me than anyone and anything in this Earth and in all other parts of this vast universe. I was broken for so long, but your compassion, your hope, your belief in me, and your love has made me whole again. I promise to always protect you, and to always be your equal partner. I promise to let myself be vulnerable in front of you, and to let you see the parts of me that I keep hidden from the world. I promise to find joy in the good times with you, and to weather the hard times together. Most of all, I promise to always, always love you, no matter what.” Hands still shaking slightly, she slipped a small gold band onto the ring finger of Lena’s left hand, then brought the hand to her mouth, where she placed a kiss on the ring. 

Kara held Lena’s hands as she read her own vows. “Kara- before I met you, there were very few people that I could count on in my life, and I was very distrustful. But you showed me how good, how kind, and how trustworthy people could be. You brought so much light into my life, and you still do. I don’t know what I would do without you. Supergirl is a hero to so many, but to me, Kara Danvers is my real hero. I promise to love you through the good times and the bad. I promise to be your partner, your equal, and your best friend.” Lena’s voice broke, and she could hardly continue. “I love you so much, sweetheart. Thank you for showing me what love is.” She then placed a ring on Kara’s finger, and like Kara brought the hand to her lips so she could place a kiss on the ring. 

J’onn then announced that they were moving to the Kryptonian ceremony. The small dais at the center of the platform served as a makeshift Jewel of Truth and Honor, a central part of Kryptonian wedding tradition. Kara and Lena stood on the Jewel of Truth and Honor as J’onn said the words that began Kryptonian weddings in the years before the planet’s demise: “In the name of truth and honor I declare the marriage vows binding upon you! From this day forward, throughout all time and space, even unto eternity…”

Kara and Lena exchanged wedding bracelets that were a beautiful lilac. The program explained that all Kryptonian couples exchanged these bracelets in a color that was unique to them. When the bracelets had been tied on their wrists, J’onn held both of their hands and announced, “Made wife and wife this day–and for all days hence. May the countenance of Rao ever shine on you.” With those parting words, Kara and Lena shared a kiss, prompting everyone in attendance to let out a cheer. 

The reception was an absolute blast. Lena had been responsible for the catering, which was amazing, as to be expected. 

Sara and Ava were seated with Ray, Barry, Iris, Oliver, Felicity, Cisco, and Caitlin at the reception. 

Sara took a big gulp of her wine. “Mmmm. This wine is fantastic.”

Felicity nodded. “I asked Kara where it was from. It’s from a fancy vineyard in France. I looked it up a couple of minutes ago- $300 a bottle.”

“Damn,” Sara said. “Think they’d let me snag a couple of these to take back to our Earth?”

“Of course! Take any that are leftover!” came a voice from behind them. Sara turned to see Kara had come to join them. She was holding Jess and Alex’s daughter, who was now awake and looking at all the commotion happening around her. 

Sara moved forward to give Kara a hug and to place a kiss on the baby’s head. “What a beautiful ceremony! The Kryptonian traditions were so moving to see. I know it must have meant a lot for you all to include them.”

Kara smiled. “It really did. I wish my parents could have been here to see this, but having those traditions… it made it almost seem as if they were.”

“I’m so glad that we could be here to see it.”

“Me too. What about the other reason you’re here- has it happened yet?”

Sara shook her head. “No. We’re heading back to National City with Alex tomorrow.”

“You nervous?”

“A little, but not as much as last time. There’s always some risks, but… we’re ready.”

“I’m glad. Let me know how everything goes, ok?”

“I will. And you keep me updated as well- let me know when you two have decided to have one of those things of your own,” Sara said, pointing at the baby.

Kara laughed. “We will! It’ll probably be a while, but keep an ear out anyway!”

Sara winked at her as she headed over to talk to more guests. 

The dancing started shortly after dinner. Kara and Lena shared their first dance to one of their favorite songs, “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles. They swayed softly together, Lena’s hands clasped around Kara’s neck and Kara’s lips moving, crooning the music softly into her new wife’s ear. They looked like the picture of happiness. 

As the chorus came on, Ava grabbed Sara’s hand and softly rubbed it with her thumb. 

“Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
I choose you  
I will become yours and you will become mine  
I choose you  
I choose  
You, yeah.”

The words to the song couldn’t be any more true. Sara and Ava, like Kara and Lena, Alex and Jess, Barry and Iris, Oliver and Felicity, and so many others, had chosen each other. So much in their lives had gone wrong, but this? They had finally got it all right. 

***

In the weeks after the wedding, life returned to normal. Sara and the Legends fixed anachronisms, saving time and the world. Ava ran the Time Bureau like a well-oiled machine, keeping her agents and the Legends in check (especially Gary- ok, mostly Gary). Kara protected National City as Supergirl, Lena ran CatCo and L Corp, and Alex continued to kick ass at the DEO. They were happy, and all was well. 

One night, Sara and Ava got ready for bed together, as they always did. They removed their makeup, brushed their teeth, and washed their faces side by side. The routine had become one of Sara’s favorite parts of the day. 

As Sara flossed her teeth, Ava touched her arm gently. 

“So there’s something I need to tell you.”

Sara stopped flossing and a smile slowly grew across her face. She sincerely hoped she was right about where this was going. “Yeah?”

“I’m late.”

Sara’s smile grew bigger. “You’re late?”

“Yeah, I was supposed to get my period last Monday. So, it’s…” she counted on her fingers, “9 days late.”

“Do you want to take a test?

Ava took a deep breath and held it before letting it out slowly. “Yeah, I think I do.”

Sara brought her hand to her lips and kissed it. “Are you nervous?”

Ava nodded. “A little. I just… I don’t want you to be upset if I’m not.”

Sara kissed Ava’s hand again. “I won’t be upset. I could never be upset with you about this. It’s not your fault if you’re not, sometimes it just doesn’t work. It’s like that if you do it naturally, too. If that’s the case we’ll wait a few months and try again. But I have a good feeling about this.”

Ava nodded. “Ok. I’ll go take the tests. Wait with me?”

“Of course.”

Ava walked over to the drawer, where she took out three pregnancy tests. That had been their big, secret reason for staying over so long after the wedding. They were ready to have another baby. Sara had loved growing up with a sister, and they wanted their children to have the same experience. Because Ava and Sara were both women, they knew that the baby would be a girl, and they were both giddy at the prospect that Laurel would have a little sister two years younger than her, the same age gap between Sara and her big sister Laurel. 

The day after the wedding, they had joined Alex in the DEO, where she used the same Kryptonian technology that they had used to get pregnant with Laurel to hopefully create another pregnancy. They had decided that Ava would carry the baby again.

Ava completed the tests and set a timer. She and Sara waited on the bed, holding hands and sharing soft kisses, not saying a word. When the timer went off, Ava took another deep breath. 

“You ready?”

Sara nodded. “I’m ready.” 

Holding hands, they walked over to the bathroom counter, where the tests lay. Ava let out a gasp.

“They’re positive. All of them are positive. Oh my God. I’m pregnant!”

Sara felt herself tearing up. “Oh my God! Ava!”

Ava was wiping away tears of her own. “We’re having another baby!”

“We are! We’re having another baby!” Sara pulled her wife against her, hugging her tightly and placing kisses all over her face. They were both crying steadily at this point out of sheer joy. 

Sara then lowered herself and lifted up Ava’s pajama shirt to place a kiss on her still-flat stomach. “I love you so much already. So” kiss “so” kiss “much.”

Ava grasped Sara’s hand and pulled her back up, where she placed a kiss on her lips. “Are you ready for this?”

Sara nodded. “I’m more than ready. It’ll be an adventure, but there’s no one I would rather be on this adventure with than you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, after 3x16 we all know that Ava is a clone. I'm going to assume she's just a clone, not a robot, and that it doesn't affect her reproductive system in any way so she's still able to get pregnant normally.


	8. A New Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara and Ava can't agree on a name for the daughter, until they decide to name her after a rather surprising candidate, and a new member of the Lance family enters the world.

Ava’s second pregnancy moved along as smoothly as her first had, with slight nausea during the first few months, but otherwise very little discomfort or problems. They announced their pregnancy to family and friends by taking a photo of Laurel wearing a “Big Sister” shirt and captioning it “New Mission: Baby Sister, coming in February.” They immediately began to receive congratulations, from a “Damn, you’ve been busy, Boss” from Mick Rory to about 20 “love eyes” emojis from Kara Danvers to loud sobbing on the other end of the phone when Gary called. Sara’s parents were both ecstatic, and Quentin Lance was already planning out his granddaughters’ future Little League teams he would coach.

The major difference between the first and second pregnancy was that when she was pregnant with Laurel, Ava didn’t have an energetic toddler to chase around. It was no surprise, with her mothers being who they were, that Laurel loved anything to do with running, jumping, climbing, and generally being active. Sara was a major help in corralling the active toddler; she took her to the park almost every day, as well as to toddler swim classes twice a week at the YMCA and gymnastics class every Thursday. 

They’d also been trying to get Laurel ready to be a big sister in whatever ways they could. They knew it would be hard for a little girl who was barely 2 to understand what getting a baby sister meant, but they read her books about new babies and becoming a big sister, and as Ava’s stomach grew they told her that Baby Sister was growing there, and taught her how to kiss the baby, talk to the baby, and told her that the baby loved her already. Before bed every night, Laurel had begun to place a kiss on Ava’s stomach and say “Night night, baby!” and whenever they met someone, she would point to Ava’s stomach and say “Baby!” as if to introduce her new sister. In fact, she began thinking that EVERYONE with a big stomach had a baby in their tummies. When the Legends came to visit one day, she ran up to Mick, pointed at his beer gut (which had been growing larger over the years), and shouted “BABY!” very excitedly, prompting Mick to mumble something about needing to go to the gym more and Zari to say “Or just cut down on the beer and cheeseburgers” (earning herself a soft punch on the arm). 

The most difficult part of this pregnancy was that they couldn’t agree on a name. They had known Laurel’s name from the very beginning; Dinah Laurel, after Sara’s late sister. But coming up with a name for their second daughter was almost impossible. They looked at dozens of baby name books and websites, talked with their friends and family, and got so desperate that Sara even suggested just drawing a name out of a hat and going with whatever came out (Ava shot down that idea quickly).

Two weeks before Ava’s due date, they still had no idea what they were going to name the baby. They lay in bed and discussed different names, some of which had already been suggested multiple times.

“What about Olivia? I like Olivia,” Ava said.

Sara groaned. “No. Olivia’s the most popular name for girls this year. I don’t want her to go to school and be one of like, six Olivia’s in the class. One year there were five Jessica’s in my class and they all hated it. I don’t want to do that to our daughter. Also it’s really close to Oliver, and I love him, but I really don’t want to name our daughter after my ex.”

Ava winced. “Yeah, that’s understandable. What about Samantha?”

Sara shook her no. “Nah, I was in kindergarten with a girl named Samantha. She always had a runny nose, and that’s all I think about when I hear that name.”

“Oh my God. Sara, you can’t just shoot down every name I suggest for stupid reasons like that. You said you didn’t like Emily because you knew an Emily who had a mole on her chin.”

“It was a big mole, and it had a hair in it! I don’t want to say our baby’s name and have the only thing I can think about be a big, hairy mole.”

“You are so…. UGH! At this point I’m pretty sure the name that's going to go on her birth certificate is going to be ‘Baby Girl Lance.’ And the only names you’ve suggested are Kristen and Gal, because you think Kristen Stewart and Gal Gadot are hot. Those are REAL meaningful names.”

“That was a JOKE! I told you that was joke!”

“Yeah, real funny.” Ava turned herself away from her wife in a huff, which wasn’t an easy task, seeing as she was nearly 9 months pregnant. 

Sara touched Ava’s arm. “Aves, I’m sorry. I really am. I know I’m being a pain the ass about this. But I want to give her a name that means something to us, not just something out of a random baby name book.” 

“Then what’s a name that means something to you? I’m a fucking clone for crying out loud, I don’t have any family or friends prior to meeting you and the Legends, and the only meaningful names to me are Sara and Laurel, and those are obviously already taken.”

Sara sat up suddenly. “That’s it, the Legends! Ok, I think I have a good idea for a name. If you don’t like it that’s ok, but….”

“What is it?”

When Sara told her, Ava smiled. “No, Sara, it’s perfect! I love it.”

“Really?”

Ava laughed. “Yeah. I really, really do.” She pointed at her bump. “And she does too!”

Sara bent down and gave Ava a kiss. When she lifted her head back up, her face fell. “Oh, shit.”

“Oh shit, what?”

“Now we have to think of a middle name.”

***

The baby was born on February 12th in a birthing center in Star City. Quentin was staying in their apartment with Laurel, and was going to bring her over the next day to meet her new sister, giving Ava and Sara a chance to bond with the baby, just the two of them. 

Labor this time around was much faster than it had been with Laurel; only eight hours from the time Ava’s water broke to when the baby was born. Sara had wondered if it would feel different when she saw her daughter for the first time, if she would somehow love her less because she already had another child. When Ava pulled the baby from the water of the birthing pool and cradled her against her chest with a joyful sob, Sara realized that her she couldn’t have been more wrong. She didn’t love this baby any less; in fact, she felt her love instantly multiply. The baby took her first breath and began crying, and the sound was just as beautiful as it had been when Laurel was born. Sara touched her daughter’s head, whispering “I love you, I love you, I love you” to her over and over again. The immense feeling of love for her daughter, and the instinctual need to care for her and protect her, was overwhelming. 

A few hours after the birth, Ava and Sara lay on the bed together as Sara cradled the baby in her arms, marveling over their beautiful girl. It was funny, how she looked so much like Laurel, but also different at the same time. At 8 pounds, 14 oz. she was only 3 oz. smaller than her sister had been, and the midwife said she was also on the taller end, indicating that she might end up being tall and lanky like Ava and Laurel. Her eyes, nose, and ears were Ava’s, but her pouty mouth and the chin with the dimple in the middle were Sara’s. 

“I’m so glad she got your chin,” Ava whispered as she bent to place a soft kiss on the dimple. 

Sara smiled. “You know, we’re two for two in making really cute babies.” 

“Yeah, we’re really good at it, aren’t we?” Ava said, leaning forward to give Sara a kiss.

The baby began to cry softly. 

“I think it’s time for her to eat,” Ava said. Sara gently passed her over to Ava so that she could feed her. As Ava helped her latch on to her breast, she said, “Feeding her is so much easier than feeding Laurel was at the beginning. Remember when she was three days old and I said I was done with it?”

Sara laid her head on Ava’s shoulder and smiled as she watched her daughter suckle enthusiastically. “Yep. It took me and the lactation consultant a couple of hours to convince you not to quit. But then look at you- you did it for 14 months. That’s why it’s so easy for you now- you’re a pro. And she’ll be a pro before you know it.”

Ava rubbed the baby’s head. “I can’t wait to watch her grow up, and to watch her and Laurel to grow up together. I know all my memories are manufactured, but… the one thing I do know is that I always wanted was a sister. And now our girls get to have that.”

“There’s nothing like having a sister. She can be your best friend and your worst enemy, sometimes even in the same day. Gosh, Laurel and I had some epic fights over clothes, and boys, and who got the front seat in the car. But I also knew that Laurel always had my back, no matter what, and she knew that I had hers. I can’t wait to watch them form that bond.”

***

Laurel finally met her sister the next day. She had stayed with her grandfather that night, and Sara’s mom was flying in that afternoon and was planning on staying a week to help the new family adjust. Quentin brought her to the birthing center wearing her “I’m the Big Sister!” shirt. Sara was surprised at how well he did at dressing her- her leggings and tiny Mary Janes matched, and he’d remembered to put socks on her feet (something he was apparently notorious about forgetting when his own daughters were little). He had even attempted to do her hair in pigtail braids, although it was so messily done that Sara restyled it before they took any pictures. 

When Laurel came in, Sara was holding the baby so that Laurel could climb in bed and cuddle with Ava. Sara bent down with the baby to introduce Laurel to her new sister. Although still too young to fully grasp the meaning of having a sister (there was a full-fledged meltdown the next day when Laurel realized that the baby was there to stay), she did cuddle her face next to her sister’s, place a soft kiss on her head, and said “Love you, baby,” as she left. 

Sara was going to send the picture of Ava, Laurel, and the baby to their loved ones, but she wanted to portal to the Waverider to make the announcement in person. When she entered the ship, she said “Gideon, get everyone in here. I’ve got some news for them.”

“Of course, Captain Lance,” Gideon replied. “And congratulations on the birth of your daughter.”

“How’d you know- actually, don’t answer that. You know everything don’t you? And thanks.”

When the Legends assembled in the room, they all moved forward to hug Sara, because they all had guessed why she was there to speak to them. Zari, Amaya, and Ray all had tears in their eyes. 

“You guys know why I’m here. Lance daughter #2 was born yesterday. Ava was a champ through the whole thing, and she and the baby are both really healthy. We’re going home this afternoon. Laurel met her a couple of hours ago, and I wanted to show you guys a picture. Gideon, can you project it please?”

When the image of Ava, Laurel, and the baby came up, there were lots of “Awwwwwws.”

“Hey,” Nate said. “What did you guys end up naming her?”

“That’s what I wanted to tell you all in person. We wanted her name to be something that was meaningful to both of us, something we were really proud of. So we named her after someone we’ve known for a while, someone who’s really special to our family. Welcome to the world… Rory Violet Lance.”

Everyone turned to Mick, who had a look of utter shock on his face. “You named her after me?”

Sara smiled. “Yeah. We did. We couldn’t think of a better person to name her after.”

At that statement, for the first time in the nearly ten years since Sara had known him, Mick Rory, reformed criminal and notorious tough guy, began to openly and unashamedly cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always liked the thought of Sara and Ava naming their daughter after Mick Rory, who, despite his past and tough guy exterior, I imagine becoming a big soft uncle to their girls. And the middle name Violet is just a random one that I like. It also kind of goes with the "plant theme" that they have going on (Laurel is a tree and Violet is a flower). The anecdote about Sara not liking a name because a girl with that name always having a runny nose is actually a story from my own life. My dad shot down my mom's favorite boy name because he knew a kid with that name who always had a snotty nose.


	9. For There is No Friend Like a Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trials and tribulations of welcoming a new baby into the family are all worth it as the bond develops between Laurel and Rory.

The transition to a family of four went differently day-by-day. Some days seemed to come right out of one of those cheesy 1950’s television shows. They brought both daughters into the bed for morning snuggles, and Ava fed Rory while Laurel lay on top of Sara, resting her head on her chest and smiling sweetly and her mama and baby sister. Sara made the whole family pancakes for breakfast, complete with Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes for Laurel. Laurel lay on the floor with Rory during tummy time, stroking her blonde head and saying “Love you, Roar!” (She couldn’t quite get “Rory” out yet. Roar would, of course, become Rory’s lifelong nickname). Sara cleaned the apartment as her girls (including Ava) took a nap, and Laurel, who they had worked very hard to potty train before Rory was born, didn’t have any accidents. Hell, Sara thought, I’m basically June Cleaver, all that I’m missing is a damn dress and pearls.

Other days were absolute hell. Rory spent the entire night screaming, never sleeping longer than an hour at a time, despite all the different ways that Ava and Sara tried to comfort her. Laurel woke up grumpy and refused to eat the French toast sticks that Sara had heated up for her, then got put in time out for pushing her plate onto the floor when Sara said she was going to feed them to her like a baby if she didn’t start eating them herself soon. Laurel seemed to forget all of her potty training progress, and regressed so much they had to put her in diapers again.

While in general she seemed to love her sister, on these hellish days, Laurel’s attitude toward the new baby skewed extremely negative. She didn’t understand why the newborn couldn’t play with her, and threw a tantrum when Ava said that Rory had to sleep and couldn’t play dress up with her. She became jealous when she saw Ava feeding the baby, and shouted “No, Roar! That MY Mama,” startling Rory, making her cry, and interrupting the feeding. When Rory was on the floor during tummy time, she took away her toys and purposefully put them out of her reach, saying, “I no like you.” 

Ava and Sara both tried to gently correct these behaviors, and they each tried to make special time for Laurel each day. Sara took her to swim lessons, which she adored, and they went to the pool three to four times a week to play in the water together. Ava would leave Rory with Sara and would take Laurel to the park near their home, just the two of them, and play with her on the jungle gym, catch her as she went down the slide, and push her on the swings. Sara and Ava traded off putting her to bed, climbing into bed with her, reading a story, and rubbing her back until she drifted off to sleep. They tried to let her know that even though there was a new baby in the house, they still loved her just as much as they always had. 

As Rory grew older and more alert and active, it was very clear that Laurel was her absolute favorite person in the world. She lit up when Laurel came home from daycare in the afternoon. Laurel was the first one to get a real, genuine laugh out of her, and once she was big enough to safely sit up in the bath, she loved taking baths with her sister, splashing around and playing with toys. At bedtime, Sara had started putting both girls in her lap as she read a goodnight story, and her heart nearly melted when she looked down to see that Rory had grabbed Laurel’s hand and was holding it earnestly. Rory didn’t protest when Laurel dressed her up as a princess (what else is a baby sister to a toddler than a glorified doll?), and more than once Ava had caught Laurel laying on the floor next to Rory during tummy time, whispering things to her. When Rory began eating solid food when she was six months old, Laurel loved feeding her. It was amazing to see the bond that was already forming between the two girls, and both Ava and Sara couldn’t wait to see how it grew as they grew up. 

An older and active Rory also brought about more moments of sibling rivalry. Laurel screamed when Rory crawled up and grabbed the toy she was playing with, and Rory cried just as hard when Laurel wouldn’t share a toy that she wanted. Sara had anticipated these moments; after all, she’d grown up with a sister and had experienced them every day. What she hadn’t expected was for their sibling squabbles to turn physical so early.

Right after Laurel turned three and Rory was almost nine months old, both Sara and Ava were making lunch in the kitchen while the girls played in the living room. A loud and frantic squeal prompted both of them to drop what they were doing and run to their girls, where they found Laurel with a furious expression on her face and Rory sobbing in pain, with a large red mark on her arm that was clearly the result of an angry pinch. 

Sara grabbed Rory and tried to calm her down, placing soft kisses on her hurt arm. Ava hastily picked Laurel up, said “You’re in big trouble, missy,” and took her to her room, where she shut the door and placed her on the bed.

“Dinah Laurel. You know that you’re not supposed to hurt your sister like that.”

Laurel huffed grumpily. “She took Woofie.” Woofie was Laurel’s beloved stuffed dog who went almost everywhere with her. “Woofie’s mine. He’s not hers.”

“I know that he’s yours, but you can also share him with your sister. Or you could have given her another toy to play with if you didn’t want to share him right then. But you never, ever, ever should hurt your sister on purpose like that. She’s just a baby and you’re a lot stronger than she is. It’s not fair, and it’s not nice.”

“I was mad at her.”

“I know you were mad at her, and it’s ok to feel mad sometimes” Ava said, trying to validate Laurel’s feelings without making it seem like she was right to pinch her sister. “But we share our feelings by speaking to each other, not by pinching, hitting, or biting.” 

She looked at Laurel and noticed that tears were running down her face. Ava picked up her daughter and carried her to the rocking chair. She settled her in her lap and rocked her slowly. “You’re Rory’s big sister. You’re supposed to protect her. Do you know what that means?”

Laurel shook her head.

“That means that sometimes, other people might try to be mean to Rory, or try to hurt her. It may make her scared or sad. But because you’re her sister, and you love her, you don’t want people to be mean to her and hurt her. You want her to stay happy and safe. So you’ll do whatever you can to keep her happy and safe. And because you’re her big sister, she’ll want to keep you happy and safe too. So she’ll protect you. You all love each other very much. You shouldn’t try to hurt each other on purpose.”

Ava didn’t know if Laurel fully understood what she was talking about, but she felt Laurel nod her head against her shoulder. “Now, let’s go and tell your sister that you’re sorry.”

She carried Laurel on her hip as they made their way back to the living room, where Sara had successfully calmed down Rory. When Ava and Laurel entered the room, Rory looked up and squealed “La!” Ava and Sara looked at one another; “la” had been a sound that Rory had been babbling for a while, along with “Ma,” “da,” and “ba,” but they didn’t think it meant anything. However, it was now VERY clear what she meant- it was her way of saying “Laurel.” Ava felt herself get a bit choked up at that thought, and didn’t know how they hadn’t caught the meaning sooner. 

Ava and Laurel sat down on the couch next to Sara and Rory. 

“What do you say to your sister?” Ava asked. 

Laurel leaned forward to give Rory a hug and placed a kiss on her head. “Sorry, Roar. Love you.”

Rory cuddled into the hug, and placed a slobbery kiss on her sister’s cheek. 

“See?” Sara said. “She forgives you and says that she loves you too.”

That night, as they settled into bed, Ava said “Why does it feel like that was the first of many fights that you and I will have to break up?”

Sara laughed. “Because it was! Get used to it Aves, you and I are going to become professional peacemakers from now on.”

Ava smiled. “Yeah, but I hope that all their other fights also end with them kissing and making up.”

Sara rubbed her wife’s arm. “They will. It may take a few days, but knowing our girls, it’ll always end up with an ‘I’m sorry,’ and an ‘I forgive you.’”

***

They were right; this was only the first of many fights that the Lance girls would have over the years. Squabbles over toys turned into squabbles over clothes, makeup, and who got to use the car for a night out with friends. Despite the fact that Sara started training both girls in martial arts at age three, and by the time they were teens both were black belts in Taekwondo and adept practitioners at Krav Maga, sibling fights always devolved into slapping, pinching, and hair pulling. Most fights were resolved on their own, some required physical separation by one or both mothers, and the anger and hurt feelings sometimes lasted for days on end, but Sara was right: they ALL ended with an “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.”

The sibling bond that the sisters formed only grew stronger over the years. Both Laurel and Rory acted as the others’ protector, confidant, and best friend. When Rory was being relentlessly picked on by fifth grade bullies as a second grader, it was Laurel who was suspended from school for three days for punching the ringleader in the face. It was Laurel who talked her through putting in a tampon for the first time, and, when Rory had her first kiss at 15, it was Laurel who she shyly told first and giggled with all night. When she was stranded at a high school party, it was Laurel who she called in a panic and Laurel who drove out to get her and all her friends at 2 am, and pulled over alongside the road and got out to hold her hair back when she needed to throw up. It was Laurel who was the first person she called the night she got engaged.

For Laurel, it was Rory who climbed into bed and held her as she cried when her asshole boyfriend broke up with her the week before senior prom (and yes, Ava DID have to physically restrain Sara from going to kick his ass). It was Rory who stood beside her on her wedding day as her maid of honor, Rory who was in the room with her when her children were born, and “Rory” that became her daughter’s middle name. 

For Ava and Sara, the relationship their daughters shared was the one that they had always dreamed it would be. They were the best of friends, and they loved each other and protected each other, no matter what. 

***

"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands."- Christina Rossetti

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case there's any confusion based on the ending... this isn't the last chapter! I wrote it that way because I thought it was a nice way to wrap up the build up of their sisterly bond. Sorry if that was confusing to anyone! I definitely plan to keep on with the story. I'll let you all know when it's actually coming to an end.


	10. Something to Hold on To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara goes away to fight an anachronism, but Laurel gives her something special before she leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a busy week ahead so I may not be able to update for a few days. I wanted to write something short and fluffy before I got busy!

"Got everything, babe?" Ava asked from the kitchen, where she was cleaning up breakfast.

"Yep," Sara replied. "My bag's all ready to go. I just need to say goodbye to the girls first." The Legends were set to face a Level 12 anachronism, and it looked like it would take as many as 5 days to do it. It was the longest she'd been away from her family since Rory was born, so she was trying to stretch out when she left as long as possible. 

She went to join Ava in the kitchen, where Rory was still in her high chair, smashing the remnants of a banana gleefully. She was 9 months old, and unlike Laurel, who was exactly Sara in miniature, Rory was a good mix of both of her mothers. Her hair was a darker shade of blonde than Laurel's, matching Ava's shade perfectly, and she had Ava's nose, ears, and eye shape and color as well. But her mouth and dimpled chin were all Sara, and she was currently wearing a very Sara-like smirk. Sara picked up the baby from the high chair and kissed her chubby cheek. 

"I'm gonna miss you, Roar. I better not hear that you're giving Mama any trouble."

Ava sidled up behind Sara and wrapped her arms around her wife and daughter, resting her chin on Sara's shoulder. "Oh, you'll know if she's giving me trouble," she said, tweaking Rory's cheek playfully and earning a delighted squeal from the baby. "I'll be sure to call you when she's awake at 3 am screaming." 

Sara smiled and crooned playfully, "You wouldn't do that to your mama would you? Would you, big girl?" She kissed Rory again, then nuzzled in to smell her sweet scent. She wished she could capture the smell in a bottle and take it with her. "I'll miss my sweet girl so, so, so much, but I'll be home before you know it." She looked at Ava. "Send me pictures, ok?"

Ava smiled. "Of course I will. Every night. Pinky promise." 

"Where's Laurel?" Sara asked. "I need to be heading out soon."

She handed the baby to Ava and yelled down the hall towards Laurel's room.

"Hey, Laur. I'm about to leave. I thought you were going to come out and say bye?"

"I am Mommy!" came a small voice. Laurel ran down the hall with something clutched in her hands. "Here," she said, thrusting something into Sara's arms.

"What's this, baby?" Sara asked. She looked at it carefully; it was one of Laurel's stuffed animals, a small beluga whale that they'd gotten for her when they visited the Star City Aquarium. 

"It's for you! If you miss me and Rory, you can just hug it. It'll be kinda like hugging us. I already hugged it once."

Sara felt herself choking up. She picked Laurel up and settled her against her hip, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. "I will hug him all the time, because I'm going to miss my girls all the time." 

Laurel reached out to stroke Sara's cheeks affectionately. "I'll miss you all the time too, Mommy."

Sara smiled, trying to put on a happy face so that Laurel wouldn't get upset. "But hey, Mama's here to take good care of you, right? And Grandpa's coming over for dinner tomorrow- that should be so much fun!"

Laurel giggled. "Yeah, I like it when Grandpa comes for dinner. He gets us pizza and we play pretend." Quentin Lance was a sucker for his granddaughters, and Sara had even once seen him wearing a crown because he was the "princess" that knight in shining armor Laurel was saving. She had secretly taken a picture of him and was saving that story to tell at his retirement party.

"I've gotta go now, okay?" Sara said, placing a last kiss on Laurel's forehead before setting her on the ground. "I love you so much, Laur." She moved over to Ava and gave Rory another kiss "And I love you so much, Roar." Then she moved to Ava and placed a kiss on her lips. "And I love YOU so much, Aves." She grabbed her bag and opened a portal onto the Waverider. She waved goodbye to her girls, then closed the portal. She was alone on the bridge. She looked at Mr. Whale, clutched in her hand, before giving him a tight hug."I think I'm going to be doing this a lot over the next few days, buddy," she said as she wiped away a tear. 

***

Mr. Whale did get a lot of use over the next few days... and months... and years. Because every day, Sara took Mr. Whale to work with her, whether it was simply sorting through old files at the Time Bureau or spending a week fixing time on the Waverider. She didn't tell anyone she still had Mr. Whale; he was simply a reminder when she was away that her daughters were with her in spirit and in her heart. 

Laurel had long-forgotten about Mr. Whale until one day 20 years after she gave him to Sara. Laurel was home from law school and was rifling through Sara's bag looking for a spare pack of Kleenex when she found him. 

"Hey, Mom!" she called. "Why do you have a ratty stuffed whale in your bag?"

Sara walked over to stand beside her daughter. Laurel had grown into a beautiful young woman. She still looked very much like Sara, but she'd grown as tall as Ava and towered 3 inches over Sara. Beautiful, funny, athletic, and extremely smart (she went to Harvard Law, a fact that Sara bragged about at every opportunity), she was everything her mothers had ever dreamed she'd be.

Sara gave Laurel a playful punch, and in a mock-stern voice she said, "What are you calling a ratty stuffed whale? That's the one and only Mr. Whale. Don't you remember giving him to me?"

Laurel scrunched up her nose adorably. "Kind of... right before you went out on the Waverider for a while, right?"

"Yep. And you said to give him a hug every time I missed you or Rory. And I missed you girls every day, so I hugged him every day. I miss you all every time I'm not around you. That's why I always take him to work with me."

"Wait- it must have been 20 years ago that I gave him to you! You've taken him to work every day?"

"Yep. Every single day."

Laurel got an emotional look on her face. "Awww... Mommy!" A tear fell softly down her cheek. "Now you've gone and made me cry!"

Sara reached up to cup her daughter's face. "Sorry, baby."

Laurel sniffed. "It's just nice, knowing that you love me that much."

Sara smiled. "I love you and Rory more than you'll ever know." 

A car horn honked loudly outside in the driveway. Ava was already in the car; they were on their way to pick Rory up from the airport. She'd just spent six weeks of the summer semester studying abroad in London. Like her sister, Rory had grown into a tall, beautiful, intelligent young woman. She was a junior starter on National City University's volleyball team, and was studying hard for the MCAT and beginning the process of applying to medical school ("Who would've thought? An ex-assassin and a clone somehow created a lawyer and a doctor," Ava liked to say). 

"Now- let's get in the car before your Mama gets too pissed at us." 

Laurel smiled and bent down to kiss her mother on the cheek before walking to the car. Sara looked down at Mr. Whale and gave him a slight hug. In a few minutes her family would be together again, but until then... a hug for Mr. Whale would have to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by a story I saw of a girl who gave her dad a stuffed animal to take with him to work when she was 2, and he still takes it with him every day.


	11. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava's birthday, as seen in 2018 and 2026.

April 5, 2018

Ava drained the last of her wine from the glass. Wine always helped her through bad days, and today had sucked. Spectacularly. She moved to pour more from the bottle, but realized that it was empty. Well, shit. She sighed; she was pretty buzzed, but not nearly drunk enough to make herself forget about the reason that today sucked so spectacularly.

It was her birthday. Well, what she used to think was her birthday. Then she found out that she was a clone, and all of those memories from birthdays past- the party at the roller skating rink, the sleepover, the paintball game- were all manufactured. They hadn’t actually happened. In fact, she doubted that she actually had a “birthday” at all. How could you have a birthday if you were never born, but were actually one of thousands created in a lab in the far future? So, yeah. She could use another glass of wine.

She was startled out of her thoughts by a knock at her door. It was 10:30 at night, and she couldn’t think of anyone who would want to see her this late. Still, she got up from the couch and glanced out the peephole. She sighed again; of course Sara Lance was behind the door, holding a white box and a bottle of wine. The bottle was the only reason that Ava opened the door. 

“What are you doing here, Sara?”

Sara smiled, ignoring Ava’s lackluster greeting. “A certain bot let slip that there were several very important people who were born on April 5. Like Bette Davis, Gregory Peck, Hayley Atwell, and a certain Miss Ava Sharpe. I brought a cake”- she hoisted up the box- “and wine”- she hoisted up the bottle. “I thought we should celebrate.”

“I’m not really in a celebratory mood,” Ava mumbled as she ushered Sara into the apartment. She was wearing her rattiest and most comfortable sweats, her hair was in a messy bun, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. She thought she looked as shitty as she felt. 

Sara must have sensed Ava’s sadness, because as she set the cake and wine on the kitchen counter, the look on her face softened. “Everyone deserves to be celebrated on their birthday, Ava.”

Ava let out a cynical laugh. “Yeah, let’s celebrate some random day that Rip inserted into my manufactured memories to prevent me from learning that I’m actually a fucking clone.”

“Ava.” Sara reached across the counter to grab her hand. “A birthday isn’t a celebration of the day itself. It’s a celebration of the person who was born on that day. You may not have been born on April 5, but there’s so much about you to celebrate.”

“Like what?”

Sara stroked circles into Ava’s hand with her thumb. “Like the fact that you’re the hardest worker I know. You put so much of yourself into the Time Bureau, and it runs as well as it does because YOU lead it. And the fact that you have such a big heart, and are so, so committed to people you care about. And the fact that you have an amazing sense of humor. You’re one of the funniest people I know, and you don’t even have to try to be funny, you just ARE. And the fact that you accepted me for who I was, demons and all.” Sara smiled. “You were supposed to laugh at that last one.”

Ava did let out a little laugh.

“So… let’s celebrate YOU. Let’s eat a slice of cake, and drink some wine, and watch something fun on Netflix.”

Ava knew she should say no. This was Sara, who had broken her heart into pieces. Sara, who she was trying to get over. But this was also Sara, who just a few days before had kissed her and told her that she loved her. And who she was also totally and completely in love with, and had been in love with long before they had their first date. 

So before she knew it, the cake was eaten (Gideon had made it and it was absolutely delicious), a glass of wine had been drunk, and Ava was lying on the couch with her head in Sara’s lap. Sara had undone her bun and was softly coming her fingers through her hair. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was running softly in the background, but neither of them was really watching. 

“Hey, Sara?” Ava asked in a small voice.

“Yeah?”

“Can you stay tonight?”

“Absolutely,” Sara said, no sign of hesitation in her voice.

They turned off the t.v. and made their way to Ava’s bedroom. Sara took off her pants and sweater, and was only wearing her panties and bra. 

“I’m gonna go wash up, ok? I’ll be right back.”

“ ‘kay,” Ava said as she climbed into bed.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Sara turned off the bedside lamp and climbed into bed next to Ava. She looked much younger and more vulnerable without makeup on. They lay in bed facing each other, their slow breaths matching.

“Sara?” Ava said again.

“Mmmhmm?”

“Can you hold me?”

“C’mere.”

Ava scooted towards Sara until her back was pressed tight against Sara’s front. Sara wrapped her arms around Ava and pressed a short kiss against her shoulder, then another behind her ear.

“I meant what I said earlier,” she whispered as she lightly stroked Ava’s arms, causing goosebumps to rise as her hands moved up and down. “I do love you. You are REAL. You are real, and you are not replaceable. I fell in love with YOU, not any other of those other Ava. There’s only one Ava Sharpe to me, and that’s you.”

Ava couldn’t stop the tears that came out of her eyes when she blinked. They landed on Sara’s hand. 

“Hey, turn around and look at me, baby.” Ava turned in her arms and faced her, their noses so close they almost touched. Sara brushed the tears off her cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. “I love you for who you are. And who you are is a sweet, sincere, slightly neurotic-“ that drew a laugh from Ava- “wonderful person who has changed my life. You are so, so special to me.” 

Sara leaned forward and placed a sweet, simple kiss on Ava’s lips. “Is this ok?”

“Yeah, this is ok,” Ava whispered. “It’s more than ok,” she said before leaning forward and giving Sara a kiss. She didn’t know if she was still drunk from the wine, or drunk on Sara, but she was drunk on SOMETHING.

Sara tucked a lock of hair behind Ava’s ear. “Want to get some sleep now? It seems like you had a hard day.”

“Yeah,” Ava nodded. She turned around away from Sara, but Sara still held her closely. “And Sara?”

“Mmhmm?”

“I love you, too.”

April 5 might not be such a bad birthday, after all.

*** 

April 5, 2026

Ava woke up to the feeling of something small, warm, and slightly bony (as evidenced by the elbow poking her side) climbing on top of her. She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was her four-year-old daughter’s face inches from her own. 

“You’re up!” Laurel shouted. “Hey Mommy, Mama’s awake!” 

Ava groaned dramatically. “Inside voice, Laur! Geez.”

“Sorry Mama,” Laurel whispered. She puckered up her lips and Ava leaned forward to give her a quick kiss, before pulling her down to settle on her chest. Ava covered them both with the covers, and she scratched Laurel’s back lightly as she snuggled her face in to Ava’s neck with a contended sigh. She was their independent child. She was less needy and clingy than Rory, but Ava was still able to get some good cuddles out of her, especially at night and in the morning. 

“Did you sleep good? All good dreams?”

“Mmmmhmm. I dreamed that I ate ice cream.”

“I’m so glad. Ice cream dreams are the BEST dreams. Maybe we can get some ice cream this afternoon.” Ava kissed her daughter’s head. “Hey, what’s your Mommy doing?”

Laurel lifted her head up and gave Ava a big smile. “She and Rory are in the kitchen. We let you sleep in, ‘cause it’s your BIRTHDAY. There’s a surprise.”

“Laurel, wait a minute, don’t ruin it!” came Sara’s voice from down the hall. “Rory, hold on… she’s coming for you, Ava!” 

Ava heard the pitter-patter of feet running down the hall, and two chubby hands popped onto the bed. 

Laurel giggled. “Hi, Roar!”

“Mama, up!” came a dictatorial little voice. 

Ava sat up, pulling Laurel up with her. She glanced down to see her eighteen-month-old standing beside the bed, arms raised in a “pick me up” gesture.

“Rory, what do we say when we want something?”

“Mama, up, PLEASE.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Ava said as she helped Rory onto the bed. She settled both girls onto her lap, and spent a few minutes cuddling and giggling with them both. She loved quiet moments like this; she had so much love for her girls, and for Sara- the family that she had never had. 

The cuddle session was interrupted when Sara entered the room and sat down with them on the bed.

“Happy Birthday, my love,” she said, placing a quick kiss on her lips. 

“Happy Birthday, Mama!” Laurel said, leaning in to give Ava a quick kiss on the cheek. 

“Happy Birfday,” Rory said, giving Ava a slightly slobbery kiss on the nose.

Ava gave her family a big, wide smile. “Look at this! I’ve got all three of my girls with me! That’s the happiest birthday I could have ever asked for.”

“Well, it’s about to get even happier!” Sara said. “I made waffles and fresh-squeezed orange juice because I know it’s your favorite. And the girls made you a card.”

“You did? Well, we’ll have to go to the kitchen then!” Ava said enthusiastically. 

She held Rory in one arm and Laurel in the other (not an easy feat anymore- her girls were getting big) and carried them down the hall to the kitchen. 

“Wow!” she said, giving both girls a kiss on the head. “This looks amazing!”

Sara moved over to place a waffle and some fruit on a plate for her. “There’s champagne too if you want to make mimosas.”

Ava laughed. “When have you ever known me to turn down a mimosa? Pop that sucker!”

As Sara made mimosas for herself and Ava and put orange juice in sippy cups for the girls, Laurel ran over to get the card. 

“This is from me and Rory,” she said, the pride evident on her face. 

Laurel had drawn a sun on the front of the card, and Sara had written “Happy Birthday, Mama” on the front. The inside said “You are the sunshine in our life” and contained both girls’ handprints with their names signed below each one. Laurel had signed her own name in large, childish print.

“Look at that! Your handprints- did you and Mommy make those with paint. And Laurel! You wrote your name! You’re such a big girl!”

Ava gave both girls a hug and a kiss. “This is the best birthday card I’ve ever gotten. I’m going to put it in my office so that I can see it every day. And Sara, this breakfast is delicious!”

Sara wrapped her arms around Ava’s shoulders and gave her wife a kiss before whispering, “Your real present is coming tonight. I got something at Cherry Pie for us yesterday.” Cherry Pie was the local sex shop. “A new toy to try out and something fun for me to wear. I think you’ll like it.”

Ava giggled. “I think I will too. Can’t wait!” Sara gave her another kiss, this one a bit longer and more lingering, in anticipation of what was to come.

It was a Sunday, so Ava and Sara both had the whole day off work. They put both Laurel and Rory in bed with them and took a nap as a family, both girls cuddled tight against their mothers. When they woke up, they took the girls to the park and played for two hours, pushing them on the swings, chasing them around the jungle gym, and kicking a ball with them in the field. Ava followed up on the suggestion she'd made to Laurel that morning, and they got ice cream, to the girls' utter delight. After the girls were in bed, they went to bed themselves and tried out the new toy Sara had bought for them… again, and again, and again. And Ava LOVED the new lingerie Sara had picked out- but not as much as she loved her out of it.

After, as they lay in bed, spooning each other, Ava muttered, “I never imagined that my birthday would be a good day. Turns out, you helped to make it one of the most special days.”

Sara said, “Birthdays don’t really matter, because EVERY day is a good day to celebrate you. The very special, very loved, very REAL Ava Lance.”


	12. First Dates and First Times

Sara clearly remembered the first time she had seen Ava Sharpe: she, Ray, and Nate had just infiltrated the Time Bureau headquarters, and Ava and her fellow agents had immediately pulled their guns on them. Sara remembered staring at Ava with her hands up as she was held at gunpoint, and noting the classic poly-blend pantsuit, the tight bun scraped back from her forehead, the stern expression indicating that she wasn’t fucking around. But, being Sara, she also remembered thinking, “She’s pretty hot.” 

This view of Ava was the only view she had for the longest time- uptight, ambitious, incredibly intelligent (but, annoyingly, clearly believing she was the most intelligent person in the room), a stickler for rules, a thorn in Sara’s side. 

But, as they began to work with each other more often and more closely, she began to see other sides of Ava. She was loyal, kind, and, surprisingly, had a good sense of humor. She was a badass; she could outfight anyone, including Sara (although Sara refused to admit it). She was flirtatious, but there was also a girlish shyness that was impossibly endearing. 

It was the second version of Ava that Sara felt herself falling for. The woman who teased her, who tried to flirt with her but shyly blushed the entire time, who made her laugh. She had always thought Ava was hot, but as their relationship evolved, she began to see that her true beauty wasn’t on the outside, but was in the wonderful, amazing person that she truly was. 

Sara finally asked Ava out when they were having a video call in the jump ship (which had become a regular occurrence).

Sara took a deep breath- for someone who had jumped into bed with so many men and women throughout history without hesitation, she was strangely nervous about asking Ava out on a real date. Looking back, it was a sign that something special was there, lurking beneath the surface. “So… if I were to ask if you wanted to meet me at Giovanni’s for dinner and drinks, what would you say?”

“With the rest of the Legends, or…”

Sara smiled. “No. Definitely NOT with the rest of the Legends. Just you and me.”

Sara didn’t miss the hopeful look on Ava’s face. “Is this like… a date?”

“If you think a date involves eating at a nice restaurant, enjoying some fancy cocktails, telling each other embarrassing stories about our childhoods, and making out in the cab on the way back to your place, then yes, it’s like a date.”

Ava ducked her head and smiled shyly, and even through the screen, Sara could see the blush creeping up her neck. But she let out a giggle and looked back at Sara with the same shy smile. “Then I would say yes. Definitely, definitely yes.”

“Next Friday?”

“Next Friday would be great.”

Sara smiled. “Awesome! It’s a date.”

**  
The first part of the date had gone exactly as Sara had planned. Ava was even more gorgeous than she could have imagine. Seriously, who would’ve thought that she had been hiding THAT body under those boring pantsuits? She had amazing curves that Sara couldn’t wait to run her hands over. Sara also had to keep herself from staring at Ava’s boobs, which the dress she was wearing highlighted perfectly. They DID share embarrassing childhood stories, and Sara was shocked when she felt Ava’s bare foot running up and down her leg.

“Is this ok?” Ava whispered.

“It’s more than ok,” Sara smiled. She was pretty positive the date was going to end with a make-out session in the back of the cab, and she was really hoping that Ava would invite her to stay the night. Ava didn’t seem like the type that would have sex on the first date, but she was surprising Sara more and more by the day. She couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the night held.

But of course, the rest of the date hadn’t gone as planned. Gary had ended up gatecrashing, and then Sara had to leave to fix the Legends’ latest screwup. It was only after an epic shouting match, a (very hot) first kiss, and a fierce battle with pirates that the date was able to continue. 

“So you got a room on this ship, or….” Ava asked, a hint of suggestion in her voice.

“Let’s go find out.” Sara said, grabbing Ava’s hand and leading her toward her cabin.

Ava intertwined their fingers as they walked, a sweet gesture that made Sara’s heart squeeze in a way that it hadn’t since she could remember. “There’s definitely something special here,” she thought, which made her heart squeeze again. 

When they entered the room, Sara said, “Gideon, close and lock the door please.” She was relieved that Gideon had the tact not to say anything cheeky or embarrassing. 

“Your room is different than I thought it would be,” Ava said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty clean, which is the most shocking part,” she said with a laugh. Sara pretended to look wounded by the comment, but she gave Ava a wink.

“And you like books,” she said, pointing to the small bookshelf in the corner and the book resting on the nightstand. 

Sara smiled. “Yeah, I think it surprises a lot of people that I like to read. I was an English major when I was in college. Not a lot of people know that about me. Never got to finish the degree though. Shipwrecks, the League of Assassins, time travel and, you know, dying and being resurrected made it a little hard to graduate.”

Ava laughed. “Maybe you could go back someday.”

Sara’s smile turned a bit sad. “Maybe.” 

Ava unbuttoned her blazer, and laid it on the bed before sitting down. “Nice bed.”

Sara sat beside her. “Yeah, it is.” She gave Ava a suggestive look. “It’d be nicer if I had someone to share it with tonight.”

Ava leaned in close. “I think we could arrange that.” Her lips met Sara’s softly. 

This kiss was less hurried than their first. It was slow and gentle. Sara ran her tongue against Ava’s bottom lip, and Ava opened her mouth to let Sara in. Their tongues stroked against one another softly. They broke apart briefly to smile at each other. Sara cupped Ava’s face in her hands and softly rubbed her thumbs along Ava’s cheekbones before reaching around and undoing Ava’s bun. She ran her hands through Ava’s hair, something she’d been wanting to do for a very long time. They moved together again, Sara’s hands tangled in Ava’s hair, Ava’s hands roaming along the expanse of Sara’s back beneath her shirt. Sara shifted to sit on Ava’s lap for better leverage. She kissed a trail from Ava’s mouth to her jaw to the soft, sensitive spot behind her ear. When she kissed the spot behind Ava’s ear, she let out a slight whimper. 

“That feel good?” Sara whispered against Ava’s ear, nipping on her earlobe and causing her to whimper again.

“Yeah… that’s… Oh…” Sara had started kissing down her neck, sucking on her pulse point. Ava let out an honest to God moan. 

Sara started to unbutton Ava’s shirt, but was surprised when Ava gripped her arm and said “Wait, wait.”

“Is everything ok? Do you want to stop?” 

“No, no, this is great, this is… Wow.” Ava was panting. “It’s just… it’s been a while. Since my last partner. And I’m … I’m nervous that I won’t be very good. I’ve been building this up for a while and I want it to be good for you. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

Sara grasped Ava’s hand and moved it to her mouth, where she placed a gentle kiss on her palm. Ava hadn’t been expecting a move as sweet as that from the fierce Sara Lance, but Sara had ways of surprising her at every turn.

“Ava, the absolute last thing that you can ever be is a disappointment to me. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while. You’ve been the star of some pretty sexy sessions featuring me and my vibrator.” She gave Ava a wink, and Ava let out one of her now-famous giggles. “But I’ve been looking forward to it not because of the sex, but because it’s YOU. And no matter how long it’s been, sex with you is going to be great because it’s not the sex I want, but you. If you want to stop we can, but I don’t want you to feel bad about it not being good for me.”

Ava smiled. “Ok.”

“Ok? Want to keep going?”

Ava nodded. “Yes.”

“Good. Because so do I.” Sara leaned forward to capture Ava’s lips in a kiss as she made quick work of ridding Ava of her clothes.

And, as Sara breathily proclaimed after they had finished for the fourth time that night, the sex ended up being much, much better than good.


	13. Injuries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory gets hurt for the first time, and Sara and Ava have a tough time handling it.

The Legends were just coming back onto the Waverider after a rousing battle with a Roman legion when Gideon announced, “Captain Lance, Mrs. Lance left a message for you one minute ago. She wants you to call her back immediately.”

Sara’s stomach dropped. If Ava was calling in a professional capacity, Gideon referred to her as “Director Sharpe.” “Mrs. Lance” was reserved for personal calls, and if Ava wanted to call about a personal reason, she usually just texted or called Sara’s cell. The whole situation screamed “emergency.”

Sara got to the bridge and called Ava, who picked up immediately. She sounded… scared. 

“Thank God, I was afraid it would be hours before Gideon was able to get ahold of you.”

“Ava, what’s wrong? Are you ok? Are the girls ok?”

“Rory’s daycare teacher just called. She was apparently climbing on a bookcase and fell backwards and hit her head on the corner of the desk. They think she’s going to need to go to the ER.”

Sara felt like she had swallowed a block of ice. Both Rory and Laurel were active, adventurous girls who loved climbing, running, jumping, tussling, and anything that involved being physical. But neither of them had ever been truly hurt before. 

“Are you there yet? Do you have her?”

“No, I’m driving over right now. It apparently just happened. I could hear her screaming in the background though. I’m trying to get there as fast as I can.”

Sara said, “I know it’s not protocol, but fuck protocol. I’m opening a portal over there right now.”

“That’s fine, do whatever you need to do to get there. I’m about five minutes away.”

“Ok, I’ll see you then. I love you.”

“I love you too. Try to hurry,” Ava said, sounding extremely tense and worried. 

Sara hung up, then in a flurry of action she put Amaya in charge of the ship, changed out her White Canary costume and into a black shirt and old blue jeans that should wouldn’t mind getting blood on (not just any blood, her daughter’s blood… her heart constricted), and opened a portal outside of Rory’s daycare, not caring who saw. Ava was jogging from the car to the front door of the daycare center. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Ava said as Sara held the door open for her. She was pale, and Sara noticed that her hands were shaking.

“Are you ok?”

“No. No, I’m not ok! My baby’s hurt and I wasn’t there.”

Sara touched her arm and rubbed it comfortingly. “Aves, I know that it’s going to be hard, but can you try to calm down for me? I know that you’re upset. I’m really scared too. But Rory is probably scared and upset, too, and I don’t want to upset her any more. Okay?”

Ava took a few deep breaths. Ava, like Sara, wasn’t squeamish. During her time at the Time Bureau she’d seen it all- gunshot wounds, sword slashes, stabbings, burnings, futuristic tech that caused injuries so gruesome they were almost indescribable. But the thought that her daughter was bleeding and in pain was almost too much to handle. 

Sara grabbed her hand and led them to the center’s office, where Rory was sitting on her teacher’s lap, sucking on her thumb, while her teacher held a bloody towel on her head. Sara heard Ava let out a small gasp, but to her credit, she kept a brave face on. Rory wasn’t crying anymore, which was a positive sign. 

When Rory saw them, she popped her thumb out of her mouth and cried, “Mommy! Mama!” putting her arms out for someone to pick her up. 

Ava and Sara both knelt down to give her a hug and kiss.

“Hi, baby,” Ava said, taking Rory’s hand and kissing it. “Did you bump your head?”

“Uh huh.” Rory said. 

“She’s been such a big, brave girl,” her teacher said. “She didn’t cry very long at all.” 

“How bad is it?” Sara asked. 

Sara let out a slight hiss through her teeth when Rory’s teacher pulled off the towel to show a deep, wide gash on Rory’s head. Her blonde hair was stained red from the blood, making the cut look worse than it actually was. It wasn’t horrible, but she was definitely going to need staples in it. 

“Do you think she has a concussion?” Ava asked.

“No,” the teacher answered. “It can be hard to tell in little ones, but she’s not showing any signs of confusion or dizziness. They’ll probably check her again at the hospital, but I really don’t think she has a concussion.”

“That’s good news, at least,” Sara said. “Laurel didn’t see it happen, did she?” 

“No, she didn’t. She was in the four-year-old room when Rory fell.” Laurel was four and Rory wasn’t quite two, so they were in different classes. 

“I’m glad she didn’t see it,” Sara said. Laurel was already fiercely protective of her little sister, and seeing her bloodied up would have been extremely upsetting for her. “Ava called my dad and he’s coming to pick her up today.”

“Thanks for letting us know.” The teacher stood up. “Which one of you wants to take her?”

“I will,” Sara said. Ava was still dressed in her work uniform, and it would take some serious dry cleaning to get blood of it. “Do you have some gauze that we can put on this until we get to the ER?”

“Sure, I’ll go get it,” the teacher said as she handed Rory to Sara. Rory clasped her hands around Sara’s neck and buried her face in the soft space between Sara’s neck and shoulder, breathing in the natural, comforting scent of her mother. Ava stood beside them and rubbed Rory’s arm.

Rory turned her head to look at Ava. “Mama, hurt,” she said. 

Ava placed a kiss on her forehead. “I know, baby. But you’ve been so brave!”

Rory gave Ava a pouty face that was a perfect imitation of Sara’s face whenever she wanted something. “Ice cream?”

Sara gave Ava a confused look. “Ice cream? Why would she say that? You think she has a concussion after all?”

Ava thought for a moment, then, for the first time since she’d called Sara about the accident, she gave a short laugh. “No, she doesn’t have a concussion. I think she’s asking if we can get ice cream since she’s been so brave.”

Sara laughed too, and gave Rory a kiss. “Of course we can get ice cream, Roar! We just have to go to the doctor’s first so they can make your head better.”

“Ok,” Rory said before popping her thumb back in her mouth.

Her teacher came back with gauze, which they attached to Rory’s head with tape. Sara and Ava thanked her for all her help, and then they walked out to the car, Sara still carrying Rory. She placed Rory in her car seat, and Ava drove them to the hospital. 

“It’s not as bad as I was afraid it was going to be,” Sara said.

“Yeah,” Ava nodded. “It’s still hard to see her like this, though.”

“I know,” Sara said. “I have about a million scars all over my body, from gunshot wounds to stab marks from swords and spears. I thought I could handle blood, but… seeing her hurt almost tore my heart out.”

“Mine too. And I know that it was an accident, and it’s not anybody’s fault, but I feel guilty,” Ava said with a sigh. “I’m her mom, it’s my job to protect her. I wasn’t there to protect her and she ended up hurt.”

“I feel that way too, but we need to remember that accidents happen. Laurel and Rory are both adventurous as hell, it was bound to happen sooner or later. We do what we can to protect them, but there’s only so much we can do.”

“Right,” Ava nodded as she pulled into a parking space at the hospital. Sara and Ava climbed out, and Sara unbuckled Rory from the car seat and carried her into the ER.

It was a two-hour wait before they saw a doctor, but luckily, the wait coincided with Rory’s regular naptime. Sara and Ava sat beside one another and Rory lay down across their laps, with her legs in Ava’s lap and her head in Sara’s lap. She sucked her thumb contentedly as she fell asleep. Ava took off her coat and draped it across her daughter, and through the entire wait she rubbed Rory’s back comfortingly. Ava laid her head on Sara’s shoulder, and Sara turned her head to place a kiss on her wife’s head as she whispered, “You’re being so strong. I’m proud of you.”

When they finally were examined, the doctors determined that Rory would need five staples to close the gash on her head. They let Sara hold her while they put the staples in. Poor Rory buried her head in Sara’s neck and screamed as they stapled her head, and Sara held her tightly and whispered soothing words in her ear: “You’re ok, Rory. Mommy and Mama are right here. You’re almost done.” She glanced up at Ava and saw that she had tears in her eyes; this was obviously extremely hard on her. 

The procedure was luckily over quickly, but it took Sara a good five minutes to calm her daughter down. 

When Rory stopped crying, Sara gave her a big smile as she wiped the remaining tears off her face.

“Rory Violet Lance, you are the absolute bravest little girl I know! I am so, so proud of you! You handled that like a champ.”

Rory puckered up her lips, and Sara gave her a kiss. “Mama kiss, too?” Rory asked, and Ava walked over and gave her a quick kiss before leaning in and whispering, “I’m so proud of you, Roar.”

“Ice cream?” Rory asked hopefully.

Ava smiled and ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair, which had thankfully been washed by the nurses and was no longer red with blood. “Yeah, we can go get ice cream now.”

Quentin Lance and Laurel met them at the ice cream parlor. Laurel handled everything much better than Ava or Sara had. She took a quick look at the staples on her sister’s head before giving Rory a hug and then running off with Ava to get her ice cream. 

Quentin smiled at his daughter. “First big time injury, right? How are you doing?”

“I think it’s all been harder on Ava and me than it has on Rory. I thought I was ok with blood but… it was really hard to see my little girl like that.”

“I remember the first time I had to deal with a big injury with your sister. When Laurel was about two she was running up our front steps and tripped and banged her chin on the stairs. I thought I was ok with blood, too… as a cop I’d seen everything, from car wrecks to murder scenes with multiple victims. But when I saw Laurel’s chin, it was all I could do to keep it together. I couldn’t even go in with her to get it stitched up. Your mom had to do that. I was the same way when you broke your arm.”

Sara laughed. “I remember that! I fell off the monkey bars.” 

“You two were always into something. And every time you got hurt I felt guilty as hell because I thought that me or your mom should have been able to protect you or stop you from getting hurt. But you have to remember that you can’t stop every injury, or every heartache. Because that’s how they’re going to learn to protect THEMSELVES. It’ll all be ok,” he said, rubbing Sara’s arm reassuringly. 

“I know,” Sara said with a smile, as Ava and Laurel returned with the ice cream. Ava juggled three cones, and Laurel proudly carried two cups for herself and Rory. 

“Let’s see… chocolate for Laurel, vanilla for Rory, mint chocolate chip for Mommy and Grandpa, and cookies and cream for me,” Ava said as she and Laurel handed the ice creams to everyone. “Dig in!”

The little family ate ice cream together as they talked and laughed. It had been a hard day with a happy ending, but for Ava and Sara, it was comforting to know that no matter what had happened, their family was safe, together, and very, very loved.


	14. Power to the Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supercorp Baby! Sara goes to visit Kara, Lena, and their new daughter.

“Thanks again for helping us out,” Alex said as she and Sara sat in the weapons room of the DEO, cleaning the equipment that they had just used to take down a group of rogue aliens. We’ve been pretty strapped with Supergirl out, and we’ve still got another six weeks of it. “

Alex had called Sara in to see if she could back them up on a mission since they didn’t have Supergirl on hand. “Lena DEMANDED that Kara get a full three months off. Of course, SHE was back doing some work from home two weeks after the baby was born, and she was the one who actually gave birth to her!” 

Sara laughed. “Hell, if I were you and Lena Luthor was demanding that Kara get a full year off, I would’ve given it to her! Lena seems like the type that you don’t fuck around with. She gives off an intimidating vibe, and I’m saying that as a total boss ass bitch who isn’t intimidated very easily.” Sara gave Alex a playful push. “Besides, it’s always fun to kick some ass with you guys. It’s fun to do something a little different from time travel for a change. Plus, your Earth has that wine that Ava likes. She’s going to kill me if I don’t bring back at least five bottles of it.”

Alex grinned. “Those wives, man. Mine drives me crazy, but I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

“How’s Jess doing? And Hannah?”

“They’re great!” Alex said. “Jess is still a VP at L Corp, kicking ass and taking names. She loves it. Hannah does ballet. I always thought I’d have a kid who does soccer and shoots guns, but she loves dancing and is actually pretty good at it. I mean, as good as a four-year-old can be. It’s totally foreign to me, but I just love watching her love it, you know? She’s starting pre-K in a few months and I’m still in denial about it.”

“I know how you feel,” Sara said. “Laurel’s in kindergarten and I can hardly believe it. She fell asleep on the couch a couple of nights ago and I picked her up to put her in her bed and I realized that she’s getting too big for me to carry easily. And Rory’s turning into a big kid, too. In the past month she stopped sucking her thumb, and she doesn’t need one of us to lay in bed with her until she goes to sleep anymore. I thought I was ready for all of that to be over, but now that it is, I kinda miss it. Weren’t they just babies yesterday?”

“I know. It’s crazy,” Alex said with a smile. “I’m really enjoying having the baby around. You get to enjoy the baby snuggles without any of the sleepless nights.”

“I don’t miss those days!” Sara said. “I thought I’d drop by and see them before heading back. Do you think they’d be up for a visit? I brought a little gift for them.”

“Oh, they’d love it if you stopped by! She’s a really sweet baby, and you should see Kara with her. It’s the cutest thing. And Lena’s actually really great with her, too. Don’t tell them I said this, but I really didn’t think that Lena was cut out to be a mom. You know, with her… history. But she’s done such a good job. I know it’s been hard for her, but she’s bonded so well with the baby, and is just a really good mom.”

“I can’t wait to see them,” Sara said. “Can you send them a text saying I’m on my way?”

“Sure thing!” Alex said, shooting off a quick text. A few seconds later, she said, “Kara just responded with a bunch of emojis and exclamation marks. I think that means she’s excited to see you.”

Sara gave Alex a smile. “It sounds like you’re really doing well, Danvers.”

Alex returned the smile. “I am. I really, really am.” 

“Me too.” Sara leaned forward and gave Alex a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. “Tell Jess and Hannah I said hey. Maybe next time I could bring the girls and we could have a playdate. I don’t know how safe and healthy it’d be for them to travel between universes, but I think they’d enjoy meeting Hannah.”

Alex laughed. “Sounds like a plan! Stay safe, Sara. Let us know if you need help with anything. And give the baby a kiss on the head and tell her it’s from Aunt Alex!”

**  
Kara and Lena’s apartment was the penthouse of a new, shiny building that Sara knew she and Ava couldn’t even dream of affording. There was a doorman, a concierge, AND an elevator attendant. 

When Sara knocked on the apartment door, Kara opened it and immediately enveloped her in a hug. 

“I was so excited when Alex said you were coming over!” Kara said, the glee evident in her voice. “It’s so good to see you!”

Sara gave her a sly look. “Didn’t Alex tell you? I didn’t come to see YOU. I only came to see the baby!”

Kara snorted. “Oh, VERY funny!” 

“I’m serious!” Sara said. “I brought her a gift and everything!”

Kara gasped. “Awww! You didn’t have to do that!” 

“No, it was so much fun! The girls helped pick it out.”

“Well, I’m so excited to see what it is!” Kara said as she escorted Sara in. “You actually came at a great time. She’s really alert right now.” She turned her head and said, “Hey, Lee? You remember Sara Lance, right?”

Lena was seated at a desk in the corner of the living room, typing on her laptop. 

Lena smiled and walked over to greet Sara. “Of course! So good to see you again! What are you doing on our Earth?”

“Alex got me to help with some DEO stuff, and I wanted to come by and see how you all were doing while I was here. And meet the baby, of course.”

“Speaking of which…” Kara said as she wandered over to the Mamaroo by the couch, where the baby was sitting contentedly. Kara turned it off and picked up her daughter, placing a soft kiss on her cheek and then tenderly cradling her in her arms.

“Here she is, the star of the show!” Kara said as she brought the baby over. “Six weeks old today!”

Sara smiled and reached out to gently rub the baby’s hand with her finger. “She’s beautiful.”

She truly was a beautiful baby. She had a shock of dark hair on her head. Her eyes were the exact same shade of blue as Kara’s, and she had Lena’s nose and ears and Kara’s mouth. She was wearing a tiny pink onesie with cute rabbit faces printed all over it, navy blue leggings, and pink and white striped socks. Kara was right- she was alert, and her wide eyes were looking all over the room.

What was truly amazing, however, was Kara’s expression as she stared at her daughter. It was filled with a touching mix of pride, joy, and love. When Kara leaned down to place a light kiss on the baby’s tiny nose, her mouth spread in a sweet, toothless smile.

“She just started smiling,” Kara said, her smile an exact larger replica of her daughter’s. “Well, at least smiling when it means something, and isn’t just gas.” 

“Kara was the first one to get a smile from her, of course,” said Lena. “She’s probably going to be the first to get a laugh out of her, too.”

“What can I say?” Kara said. “You’re the responsible mom, I’m the fun mom.”

Lena gave Kara a playful shove.

“What’s her name?” Sara asked.

“Alura Alexandra.” Lena said, stroking her daughter’s hair, pride evident in her voice, as well. “Alura was Kara’s mother’s name, and… well, the Alexandra is obvious.”

“We call her Allie.” Kara said. “That way she can have a little bit of her own identity, too.”

“So is she flying yet?” Sara asked.

“No, thank God,” Lena said. “I was so afraid she was going to come out with super strength and laser vision and the ability to fly, but from what we can tell, right now she’s just a normal baby.”

“Alex thinks if she does have powers, they’ll probably show up when she’s around 12 or 13. That’s around when Superman developed his. And she may not develop any- she’s half human, after all.” Kara gave Allie another kiss, and then, in a sweet baby voice, said, “But that’s ok. We think she’s pretty perfect just the way she is!”

The group moved to sit down on the couch. Alex was right- Kara was super cute with the baby. She constantly bent down to kiss her, and she spoke to her softly in a language that Sara assumed was Kryptonese. 

“Are you teaching her Kryptonese?” she asked.

Kara gave another big smile. “Yep! That’s one of the things I’m most excited about. I haven’t been able to speak Kryptonese with anyone in so long… I’m really excited for when she starts talking. We have an ongoing bet as to whether her first word will be in English or Kryptonese. Although Lena already has her signed up for a Chinese immersion preschool, so things might get pretty confusing for the poor kid.”

Lena raised her arms in a playful defensive gesture. “Hey, I’m just trying to make sure that our daughter is ready to take over my company someday. I want her to be prepared.”

Kara laughed. “If she’s anything like her mom, she’s going to be the best CEO.” She leaned forward to give Lena a quick kiss on the lips. “IF she wants to be CEO. No pressure, right?”

Lena smiled. “No pressure.”

Kara handed Allie to Sara so that she could hold the baby for a bit. She marveled at how tiny she was- were her daughters ever this little? When she began getting fussy, Sara handed her to Lena, who took her into the nursery to feed her.

“It looks like the mom life is treating both of you pretty great,” Sara told Kara.

“It really is. To tell you the truth, we were both terrified before she was born.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Lena was afraid she wouldn’t be able to bond with her. Her birth mom died when she was little, and Lillian Luthor was pretty much the worst example of what a mother should be. But she’s so, so good with her, Sara. It’s like, she totally took to it right away. Feeding her, and comforting her when she cries, and just knowing what to do and when to do it. She’s gonna be on top of everything, I can already tell. I mean, she had her signed up for that preschool before she was even born, and that thing has a two-year waiting list.”

“And you?”

“Gosh, when Lena was pregnant all I could think about is that I might accidentally hurt her. Sometimes I forget how strong I am, you know? But when she was born, it was like… something clicked. That I knew that she was my daughter, and that she was always, always safe in my arms. And it really hasn’t been an issue.”

“You’re a great mom, Kara,” Sara said. “It’s obvious how much you love that baby. Lena, too. I’m really, really happy for you all.”

“Thanks,” Kara said, giving Sara a sunny smile. “We’re really happy too.”

“So do you want to see what we got you?”

“Oh! Yeah!” Kara said, jumping up to get the bag. 

“The first thing is from me and Ava- it’s some gas drops that Alex told us you all didn’t have in this world. It was a LIFESAVER when our girls were babies.”

“THANK YOU!” Kara said exuberantly. “Gosh, we will definitely use these.”

“And then the second thing is something the girls picked out for her. It’s a 6 month size so she has a little while to go before she can wear it, but-“

She was cut off when Kara let out a small squeal. “Ohhhhhhhhhh my gosh! This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”

It was a navy blue onesie with “Power to the Girls” printed on it. 

“This is seriously so cool,” Kara repeated.

“I thought so too! I got Laurel and Rory t-shirts with the same thing printed on them. Kind of a reminder that we’re all raising strong, powerful women, right?”

“Exactly! I can’t wait until Lena sees this,” Kara said. “We got Allie a little picture book called ‘A is for Activist.’ It’s all about activism and feminism and it’s PERFECT. She’s only six weeks old but she’s already a feminist.”

Sara smiled. “Our girls, too. Laurel’s already getting pissed that there are boys in her kindergarten class who tell her that she’s drawing something wrong. It’s not easy to be a girl, and it’s not easy to raise girls, but I think we’re all doing a great job.”  
“I couldn’t agree more!” Kara said with a smile.

Sara and Kara continued chatting for a while, Sara updating her on all the things going on with Ava, their girls, and the Legends. Lena came back in holding the baby, who appeared to be in a full-fledged milk coma. 

“Wow, babe, she really passed out!” Kara said. 

“Clean diaper, full belly, warm and snug, very loved… I mean, what else could a girl ask for?” Lena said. “We’re pretty lucky. She’s a pretty good sleeper. Once she’s out, she’s out for a while.” She bent down and placed a soft kiss on Allie’s forehead. “I think I’m going to put her back in the Mamaroo, unless you want to hold her, Kara.”

Kara scoffed. “Is that even a question? Of COURSE I want to hold her. I always want to hold her.” Lena transferred the baby to her wife’s arms. Kara cradled Allie gently, kissed her nose softly, and whispered something to her in Kryptonese. 

Lena bent down to pick up the onesie. “Sara! I love it!”

Kara smiled. “See, I told you she would. We had a nice discussion about how we’re all raising our daughters to be feminists.”

Lena walked over to her desk, where a glass of sparking water sat. “I’m going to propose a toast. Here’s to strong women- may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.”

Sara and Kara both smiled and gave an enthusiastic “Hear, hear,” knowing that their daughters would all grow up to be incredibly smart, incredibly independent, and incredibly strong women.


	15. Life Lessons from Mick Rory

Once a month, Sara took her daughters to work with her. And “going to work” with Mom meant spending time on the Waverider. While a time ship traversing the temporal zone and in almost-constant danger of being in harm’s way might not be considered the best place for children, the Lance girls LOVED it. They loved hanging out with the Legends, who they considered their “aunts and uncles.” They loved helping Sara pilot the ship, running down different halls and corridors and seeing what they could find, and playing dress up with outfits Gideon made for them in the fabricator.

One of their favorite spots was the training room. It was like a huge playground where they could run, jump, dance, and cartwheel. Sara liked it because she could send them there to get their energy out when they were being rowdy, and Gideon watched over them carefully to make sure that things didn’t get TOO crazy (the bot had a real soft spot for Laurel and Rory).

One of their favorite games to play was “Legends.” They would pretend to be different members of the team, past and present, and re-enact famous fights and adventures that Sara had told them about. 

Rory had piled together several training mats on top of one another, and had dragged a soft mat below the stack to act as a cushion. She climbed on top of the stack of mats and shouted, “Hey Laurel! Look! I’m Hawkgirl!” She threw herself off the mats with her arms spread wide like wings and tumbled onto the cushion below.

“That’s great, Roar!” Laurel responded. She walked over to the punching bag and started hitting and kicking it with gusto. “I’m the White Canary!” she shouted, proudly enacting an imitation of her mother.

“You’re no White Canary!” came a gruff voice from the doorway. Laurel stopped hitting the bag and turned to see Mick Rory standing at the door. 

“I am SO White Canary! Mom taught me how to fight just like her!” Sara had been teaching Laurel and Rory martial arts since they were three, and at eight Laurel had five years worth of lessons behind her. 

“Your mom did a pretty crappy job of teaching you then! That’s no way to throw a punch,” Mick said, walking over to Laurel and the punching bag.

“What do you mean?”

“That’s the weakest punch I’ve ever seen in my life. You think your mom punches like THAT? You’d never to any damage to your enemy with that thing. Hell, they’d probably just laugh at you.”

Laurel gave him a scowl that was an exact miniature of the look Sara often gave him. “Oh yeah? How does THIS feel then?” Laurel pulled her arm back and socked him in the stomach, but he didn’t even flinch.

“Didn’t feel it. Look, you wanna learn how to throw a real punch? Lemme show you.”

Mick took Laurel’s small hand in his large ones. “First thing’s first- you need to learn how to make a fist the right way. You’ve got your hand all wrong- see? The most important rule about throwing a punch- always keep your thumb on the outside of your hand. You’ve got yours inside your fist, and if you throw a punch that has any kind of power behind it with your fist like that, you’ll break your thumb.”

He positioned Laurel’s hand in a fist with her thumb on the outside. “That’s how you want it.”

“The second thing you’re doing wrong is you’re only moving your arm. If you want real power behind the punch, you’ve gotta move your body too. Move your body, arm, and legs at the same time.” He demonstrated, landing a sizable punch on the punch bag. 

“Ok, now I wanna see you try it,” he told Laurel. She concentrated hard, placing her fist in the way he’d taught her, and focused on moving her body in the same way he had. When she hit the bag, there was a noticeable difference in the force behind the bunch.

“Did I do it right?” she asked.

“Only one way to find out,” Mick responded. “Here, do exactly what you did to the bag, just aim for my stomach this time.”

Laurel giggled. “Really?” 

“Yep. I’ll see if I can feel anyth- OOOF.” He let out a gasp of air as Laurel punched him soundly in the stomach. 

“Did you feel that one?” she asked slyly. 

“Yup,” Mick said, gasping for breath as he dramatically threw himself on the floor and closed his eyes. 

“Laurel!” Rory cried as she jumped down from the stack of mats and ran over to him. “You really hurt Uncle Mick! I’m telling Mom!”

Laurel’s eyes grew big. “Uh oh,” she said as she knelt down to check on him. 

Suddenly, his eyes opened, he sat up, and he shouted “GOTCHA!” He grabbed both girls into a big bear hug. “I was just playing with you, Laur,” he said. “That was a nice punch, though. Once you get bigger you can do some real damage with that thing.”

Mick stood up and picked up both girls, throwing them over his shoulder as they laughed. “Now, your mom sent me in here to get you two ladies because it’s time for you to go home to dinner.”

He carried them out of the room, playfully ignoring their squeals of “Hey, put me down!” Mick Rory would never have children of his own; he wasn’t the type to settle down, get married, and raise a family. But one thing was for certain, despite his checkered past and his tough exterior, he loved those two girls, and he relished in helping teach them important life lessons, and in his opinion, there weren’t many lessons more important than how to throw a good punch.


	16. Fear

Ava was awakened from a deep sleep by a tapping on her shoulder and a whispered “Mama.” Her daughters knew that if they ever needed anything during the night, it was Ava that should be woken up first. Sara’s reflexes from her days as an assassin were still sharp, and she was afraid that she would accidentally hurt one of them if they surprised her from sleep. Plus, they also realized that Sara tended to be grumpier about being woken up. 

“Wha? Wha’s wrong?” she asked with a gasp. 

“Mama,” the little voice said again. As Ava became more aware of her surroundings, she realized that it was 3 am, and that it was her youngest daughter who had woken her up. 

“Rory? Are you okay?” Ava asked. Rory didn’t answer, but climbed into bed in the space next to Ava, wrapped her arms around her neck, and snuggled in tight, nestling herself against her stomach and chest. Ava wrapped her arms around her daughter, placed a comforting kiss on her head and gently rubbed her back. 

It wasn’t entirely unusual for her to be woken up by Rory in the middle of the night. Laurel was the stereotypical eldest child. She was independent, self-sufficient, and had been bathing herself, putting herself to bed, and making her own lunches since she was six. Rory had always been more sensitive than her sister, and more reliant on her mothers for attention, affection, and comforting. She’d slept in their room for the first year of her life because she screamed for hours if they put her alone in her own room, and she was three and a half before she was able to fall asleep without having Ava or Sara to lie in bed with her and rub her back. Whereas Laurel jumped into things head first, Rory was a little shy, a little anxious, hesitant, and often needed time to process the situation before feeling entirely comfortable around new situations and new people. 

They didn’t typically let the girls stay in the bed with them at night, but there was something about the way Rory was clinging to her that broke Ava’s heart a bit.

“Do you feel sick?” she asked with a whisper. 

“No,” Rory answered. Ava noticed that she was sucking her thumb, a habit she’d almost entirely abandoned except at times when she was hurt or very scared. 

Ava felt Sara stir beside her and turn over. Sara hooked her chin over her wife’s shoulder to look down at their daughter.

“Everything ok over here?” she asked. 

“Not sure,” Ava answered. She continued rubbing Rory’s back. “Did you have a nightmare?” 

“No.” 

“Roar, if you’re not sick and you haven’t had a nightmare, you need to get back to bed,” Sara said. She was a bit less tolerant of Rory’s nighttime neediness than Ava- she liked her sleep and her private time with her wife. “You need your sleep, it’s a big day tomorrow.” It was the first day of school, and it was specifically Rory’s first day of kindergarten. “Wait… Rory, is this about going to school tomorrow?”

Rory didn’t answer her, but buried her head in Ava chest and let out a pitiful little whimper.

“Ohhhhhhh baby, I’m sorry,” Ava said, kissing Rory’s head before rolling both of them over so that Rory was nestled between both her and Sara. Sara, feeling slightly bad about the fact that she’d tried to brush her off, settled herself against her daughter’s back and stroked her hair. They hadn’t had to deal with anything like this when Laurel started kindergarten. In fact, they were up with her at 5 am because she was so excited about starting school that she couldn’t sleep.

Sara leaned forward and whispered in Rory’s ear, “Do you want to know a secret?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Rory muttered against Ava’s chest.

“I was really scared to start kindergarten, too,” Sara said. 

Rory briefly turned her head away from Ava’s chest and popped her thumb out of her mouth. “Really?”

“Yep,” Sara whispered, continuing to stroke Rory’s hair. “I was scared about going to school with bigger kids, and being away from my mom, and I didn’t know if I would like my teacher or not. But you know what?”

“What?”

“My teacher was the best teacher in the world, and she was so nice. And we had so much fun that I forgot that I missed my mom a little bit. And I made lots of new friends. And you will, too.”

“Remember how we met your teacher last week?” Ava said. “She was SO nice, and she can’t wait to have you in her class. You liked her, right?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Rory responded.

“You’re ready for this, Roar. You’re going to have so much fun at school, you don’t even know it yet. It’s ok to be nervous, but whenever you start to feel scared, just remember how much Mommy and I love you, and how excited we are for you.”

Rory mumbled something, but because her face was pressed against Ava, it wasn’t clear was she was trying to said. 

“What was that, sweetie?” Ava asked, brushing Rory’s hair behind her ear.

“I didn’t think Mommy was scared of anything.”

Sara gave a low chuckle. “I’m scared of a lot of things. I’m scared of big storms, I’m scared of people sneaking up on me from behind, I’m scared of spiders, and I’m really, really scared of anything happening to Mama, you, or Laurel. It’s ok to be scared of things. Mama gets scared sometimes, too.”

“Yep,” Ava said, pressing a kiss against her daughter’s head. “Remember how I screamed when that bird got in the window and was flying around the room? And when you were really little and cut your head open and had to get staples, I was really scared then, too.”

“You’ve got a lot of people who love you, kid,” Sara said. “When you’re feeling scared, or feeling alone, just think of that. You’re never REALLY alone. We’ll all be rooting for you. Ok?”

“Ok,” Rory said. 

“You can stay in bed with us until we get up,” Sara said with a yawn. “Now, let’s all get some sleep.” She curled herself around her daughter, while Rory continued to snuggle close to Ava. Sara listened as Rory’s breathing slowed and she sank back into sleep. 

Sara was almost to sleep herself when she heard Ava whisper, “I worry about her more than Laurel, sometimes.”

“Me too,” Sara admitted. “But she’ll be ok. Believe it or not, I was a lot like her as a kid.”

“Really? You?”

“Mmhm. I was more anxious than Laurel, and was more hesitant to try things.”

“You’re not now, though,” Ava said. “You’re such a… badass.”

“I guess I just learned to feel the fear and do it anyway,” Sara said. “Pretty soon it just got to be a habit, and became a part of who I am. We’ll help her work through it. She’s a tough kid, she doesn’t give up easily. She’ll be just fine, I know it.”

“I know so too,” Ava said. “I’m glad she has us to back her up.”

“Me too,” Sara said with a smile. She yawned and closed her eyes, and felt herself drift closer to sleep. “I love her, and I love Laurel, and I love you,” she whispered. 

The last thing she heard before sleep finally took over again was Ava’s soft, but adamant, “I love you, too. So much.” 

At one point in her life, Sara had almost let fear consume her. But with the love of her wife, and her daughters, and her friends, she was able to push the fear aside. She knew that with the same love from family and friends, and with her own inner strength, Rory would be able to do the same thing and become resilient, strong, and incredibly brave.


	17. Hard Days

In Sara’s line of work, some days could be incredibly hard. You got hurt. You almost lost team members. You almost fucked up the entire future of the world. Most days, she could brush off, but some just stuck with her. 

Today had been one of those days. Anything that could have gone wrong, did. There were more enemy soldiers than they had been expecting. They had stronger weapons than they’d been expecting. The Legends had trouble working together; they often did, but today had NOT been the day to do it. They were arguing with each other, couldn’t group together, couldn’t fight together, and they’d almost lost because of it. They’d come together in the end, but not before each of them having been injured, including Wally horrifically having both legs sheared off below the knee. That had been terrible. There was blood everywhere, and poor Wally was traumatized. Luckily, Gideon was able to regenerate his legs, and his speedster abilities weren’t going to be affected by the injury, but it was still far too close of a call. 

Sara had bruises all over her body. She knew Gideon could fix them quickly, but she couldn’t stand to be on that ship any longer. She wanted to be at home, with her wife and daughters. She opened a portal into the living room of their apartment and walked in.

It was 9:30 in Star City, so both Laurel and Rory were already in bed. Ava was sitting on the couch with a book, wearing sweats and her hair in a messy bun. She’d been kept abreast of the actions of the day through the Time Bureau, but Sara had succeeded in hiding how precarious things had actually gotten from her. 

“Hey,” Ava said softly, placing her book down and walking over to her wife. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve been better,” Sara said. 

“Are you hurt?” Ava asked, her eyes full of concern.

“Not badly, it’s just…” Sara’s face crumpled.

“Ohhhhhhhh baby,” Ava said, pulling her wife tight against her. Sara cried softly into her shoulder. “That kinda day, huh? Want to talk about it?”

“Everything went wrong, Ava. I didn’t want you to know it but… it was so hard. It was so bad. We couldn’t pull it together as a team, and I was just a shitty leader. I was so frustrated, and so mad, and then Wally’s legs were cut off. That was just awful. I was so scared I wasn’t going to come out of this one, and wondering what would happen to you and the girls, and….”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhh,” Ava said, pressing a kiss to Sara’s head. “You’re ok. Everything’s going to be ok.” She held Sara for a few more minutes, rubbing her back as she cried and let go all of her fear, anger, and sadness about the day. 

When Sara’s sobs lessened, Ava whispered in her ear, “Want to go have a bath? I think that’ll make you feel better.”

Sara sniffed. “Yeah.”

“Go put your things away, I’ll get the bath ready.”

Ava went into the bathroom and ran hot water into the tub, adding lavender essential oils to create a warm, relaxing atmosphere. Sara came in and began to strip off her clothes, wincing with pain. Ava moved over to help her, placing a light kiss on her shoulder as she helped move her shirt over her head. When Sara had removed all her clothes, she slipped into the warm bath and let out a relieved sigh as the warm water enveloped her. 

“Scoot up a little bit, I’m going to get in with you,” Ava said. Sara moved forward and felt Ava slide into the water behind her. She leaned back and relished the comforting feeling of her wife’s arms around her and her warm body behind her back. Ava placed soft, loving kisses on Sara’s neck and shoulder. 

“You are so brave,” Ava whispered. “So strong. I’m so proud of you.”

“I didn’t feel very brave or strong today,” Sara said with a cynical laugh. 

“I know you don’t feel that way now, but you ARE. And I’m not just saying that because you’re my wife. I’ve seen you in action, Sara. You are the captain of that team. You are a strong leader. You make the best decisions that you can in impossible circumstances. I don’t know anyone else but you who could do this job. And in your job, some days just go to shit. But you know what? You go back out and hope that tomorrow will be better. And it WILL be. But don’t think about it any more tonight. Close your eyes, relax, and let me pamper you a little bit.”

There was a cup sitting on the side of the tub that they used to wet Rory’s hair at bathtime. Ava took the cup, filled it, and gently poured water over Sara’s hair. She then squeezed some shampoo into her hand and began messaging it into her scalp. Sara sighed in relief at the contact. 

“Mmmmmmmmmm that feels good.”

“I know,” Ava said. “I want you to feel good.” She spent a few minutes massaging Sara’s head, then rinsed out the shampoo. She then squirted conditioner into her palm and smoothed it into Sara’s hair by slowly running her fingers through. Ava hated seeing Sara like this- scared, distraught, almost a shell of herself. But seeing Sara like this was also such a gift, the vulnerability that she let so few people see, and the bravery to accept her wife’s comfort.

They lounged in the bath for nearly 45 minutes. Sara was quiet for so long that Ava thought that she had dozed off, but in a quiet voice, she said, “I’m so glad I have you, Aves. I don’t know how I used to survive days like this alone.”

Ava placed a kiss on the back of Sara’s neck. “That’s one of the best things about being your wife. It means that you don’t have to be alone anymore. I’m here for you. Always have been, always will be.” Sara and Ava had both spent years feeling like they were totally alone in the world. But they had found one another, and had built a family. They had each other, and their daughters, and their friends and extended family. Life still brought about impossibly hard days. But it was such a comfort to know that neither Ava nor Sara had to face those hard days alone ever again.


	18. The Person You're Becoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara and Ava deal with the changes brought about by their oldest daughter growing up

Sara was amazed at how quickly it happened. It seemed like one day, Laurel was still a little girl, dressing up her American Girl doll and playing pretend with Rory. And then almost overnight, she became like a teenager. 

There were small signs at first. Her dolls and stuffed animals moved from prominent places on her bed and bookshelf to a box in her closet (except for Woofie, her beloved stuffed dog that she couldn’t quite bear to banish to the closet). She started buying her clothes at a store that was popular among teenagers instead of the children’s shop they’d always gotten her clothes from. Ava took her shopping for bras after she admitted that she was embarrassed because she was the only girl in her class who didn’t wear one yet. She started rolling her eyes when one of her moms asked her to do something that she didn’t want to do (earning herself more than one grounding), and she started being embarrassed by almost anything Sara or Ava said or did (which they gleefully took advantage of from time to time to tease her).

And then one day, when she was almost 13, Sara was making breakfast in the kitchen when Laurel came in to make her lunch for school. Sara looked over to ask Laurel if she had swim practice that day, but she never got the question out because she almost didn’t recognize the young woman beside her. Laurel was already 5’8, two inches taller than Sara, and had grown into the lanky arms and legs that had seemed too big for her only weeks before. All the swim team meets and practices and martial arts lessons had toned her back and shoulders, and Sara was stunned to realize that she was actually starting to develop curves. Her little girl wasn’t looking like such a little girl any more.

“What?” Laurel said, noticing that Sara was staring at her. “I don’t have food on my face or something, do I?”

“No, no, definitely not. I was just thinking… when did you start looking so grown up?”

Predictably, that earned her an eye roll from her daughter. “Moooooooooooooom. You’re being sappy and it’s embarrassing.”

Sara scoffed. “I’m not being sappy! I was just… making an observation” (even though she knew she was being EXTREMELY sappy). “Plus, even if I WAS being sappy, there’s no one around but you and me to hear it!”

“And me,” Ava said, walking in the kitchen to grab a slice of toast and coffee before work. She must have heard their conversation. “And for the record, you are being sappy. But we still love you.” She placed a quick kiss on Sara’s lips, earning another eye roll from Laurel. 

“You guys are GROSS. I’m getting out of here.”

Ava and Sara both laughed as Laurel left the kitchen in a rush. 

“Seriously, though?” Sara asked. “When did she grow up? I swear she looks different than she did last week.”

Ava smiled knowingly. “What is it they say? Blink and you’ll miss it? “

Sara shook her head slightly. “I just don’t feel ready for a teenager. I mean, I was HELL for my parents when I was a teenager. You name it, I did it.”

Ava leaned her head on Sara’s shoulder and smiled. “No offense, babe, but Laurel’s a much easier kid than you were. Plus, she’s not ALL teenager yet. She’s still got a lot of growing up to do. AND, if you think about it, giving your parents hell is just part of being a teenager. I think our girls will probably throw some stuff at us from time to time, but they’re both good kids. We’ll be fine.”

**

Three weeks later, Sara got a call from Laurel at 1:00 in the afternoon. She was taking some time off from the Waverider, so she was spending time doing some “consulting” work for the Time Bureau and helping Oliver with vigilante activities. During the day she did crosswords, ferried her daughters to and from their after school activities (swimming for Laurel, volleyball and soccer for Rory), and- GASP- actually cleaned the house and cooked dinner. 

It was highly unusual for Laurel to call in the middle of the day, so Sara answered the phone on the second ring. “Laurel, hey. Are you okay?”

“Um, yeah, I’m just kinda… sick. Can you come get me? Like, now?”

“You’re sick? What kind of sick? Do you need me to make you a doctor’s appointment?”

“Uhhhhhh, no. I just need to come get me. Now.” 

“Are you really okay? You sound a little panicked.”

“I’m fine, I just really, really need you to come pick me up. PLEASE.” Her voice got high pitched with emotion. 

“Okay, okay. Stay calm. I’ll be there in 10 minutes. Go to the office and meet me there. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Mommy,” Laurel said as Sara ended the call. She had called Sara “Mommy”… whatever was going on, it was spooking her. She never called Sara “Mommy” anymore. 

Sara grabbed her keys and sped over to the school. She went to the office, where Laurel was waiting in a chair, jiggling her foot nervously. A look of relief passed over her face when she saw her mother. Sara signed her out of school, and they walked to the car in silence. When they both climbed in, Sara turned to look at her daughter.

“So do you want to tell me what’s really going on? I know you’re not actually sick.”

Laurel buried her head in her hands and murmured something unintelligible. 

“What was that? I couldn’t understand you.”

Laurel turned her head slightly and whispered, “I’m pretty sure I got my period,” before burying her head in her hands again.

Sara’s eyes widened. They’d been expecting this day to come sooner rather than later. She and Ava had already talked about how they would approach it- with little fanfare, so that they wouldn’t embarrass her, but in a way that she would still know that it was special to them. Sara felt a lump rising in her throat. She didn’t think she’d get emotional about it, but it suddenly struck her that this was a big sign that her little girl was really and truly growing up. 

Sara swallowed the lump in her throat. “Are you okay?” she asked, reaching out to gently rub Laurel’s shoulder.

“Yeah. It just surprised me and I didn’t have anything to use to… you know. And I didn’t want to ask the nurse or the office because that’s just…” she buried her face in her hands again and let out a small groan before turning to look back at Sara. “I’m sorry if I freaked you out when I called, I just didn’t know what to do.”

Sara kept rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. “You don’t have to apologize. I totally get it, and I’m really glad you called me. What are you using now?” 

“Toilet paper,” Laurel said, groaning again. “I feel disgusting.”

“Hey,” Sara said, tilting Laurel’s chin up with her index finger. “I know that it feels weird at first, but I promise you, you’re not disgusting. I know when I get my period, nothing feels as good as taking a shower and getting into something comfortable. Why don't we head home so you can shower and change? How does that sound to you?

Laurel gave Sara the first smile she’d seen since she picked her up. “I’d like that.” 

Sara smiled back. “I thought you would. When we get home I’ll also give you some pads so you don’t have to deal with that toilet paper anymore.”

“Good,” Laurel said, and with a wry smile she added, “The toilet paper sucks.”

Sara laughed. “I know, I’ve been there before!” 

When they got home, Laurel got into the shower and Sara sat down on the living room couch to call Ava. 

“Hey, you,” Ava said. “What’s up?”

“I just picked up Laurel at school. She started her period, and I think it freaked her out a little bit.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Wow… already, huh? I knew that it was going to happen soon, but I’m still having some trouble wrapping my head around it.”

“Tell me about it,” Sara said. 

“Is she okay?” Ava asked.

“Yeah, she’s fine,” Sara responded. “She didn’t have any supplies so she was having to use toilet paper, and I think that was part of what freaked her out, too.”

“Oh God, that’s the worst!” Ava said with a groan.

“She calmed down a lot in the car. I brought her home and she’s in the shower, and I told her I’d call her swim coach and tell him she’s sick. She was a little nervous about trying tampons right now so I grabbed one of your pads for her to use until we can get her some stuff of her own.”

“I’ll stop at the store on my way home,” Ava said. She sighed. “I know it sounds like a total cliché, but I can’t believe our little girl has her period. Wasn’t she just born yesterday?”

Sara smiled. “Seems like it, doesn’t it?”

She heard Ava sniff. “God, I can’t believe that I’m seriously tearing up over here about it.”

Sara laughed. “And you were the one who accused me of being sappy!”

“Damn it, I promised myself I wouldn’t be THAT mom.”

“It’s okay to be THAT mom,” Sara said. “I know we said we weren’t going to make it into a big thing, but if you think about it, it really is a pretty big deal. It’s a turning point for her. We don’t have to throw her a party or anything like that…”

“She would DIE,” Ava said with a laugh. “And then come back and kill us.”

Sara laughed, too. “Right! But seriously, though. It’s ok to be a little emotional. I have been, too, to be honest.”

“I KNEW IT!” Ava said triumphantly. “Who woulda thought? Hard-ass Sara Lance is just a big ‘ol softie.”

“Only with my girls,” Sara said with a smile.

“Look, I’ve gotta get back to work,” Ava said. “I’ll be home at 5. I’ll pick up some supplies for her at the store. I love you. Tell Laurel I love her.”

“Love you, too,” Sara said. “We’ll see you soon.” It was a Friday, and Rory already had plans to spend the night with a friend, so it would just be the three of them. Sara was actually glad that it worked out that way. It was a chance for Laurel to bond with her mothers over this new development in her life. 

Sara sat on the couch and did some work on her laptop for a couple of hours when she heard Laurel come into the room. She was wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt of Ava’s that had long-since been retired from everyday wear. 

“Hey,” Sara said. “You okay?”

“Yeah, my stomach just hurts.”

“Probably cramps,” Sara said. She tried to give Laurel a reassuring smile. “The joys of womanhood, right? Here, sit down for a minute and I’ll get you a heating pad.”

Sara went to the kitchen and grabbed a microwavable rice heating pad that she used whenever she had taken some rough hits in a fight. She heated it up for a minute or so, and then brought it back to Laurel. 

“Thanks,” Laurel said, taking the heating pad and placing it over her lower belly. “Is it ok if I stay in here with you?”

“Of course!” Sara said as she sat down next to her daughter. To her surprise, Laurel climbed into her lap. It choked Sara up a little bit; no matter how old she was getting and how big she was getting, sometimes the thing Laurel needed the most was the love and comfort of her mother’s embrace. Sara wrapped her arms around her daughter and cuddled her close, and Laurel leaned her head against Sara’s neck and shoulder. 

“This all feels so weird,” Laurel said. 

“I know,” Sara said, placing a kiss on Laurel’s forehead. “I can remember how weird it felt when I got my period for the first time. But it’s just a normal part of getting older. It’s not the most fun thing in the world, but you’ll get used to it soon. I promise.” 

“Does it mean I can’t be a kid anymore?” Laurel asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, technically I’m a woman now, right?”

“Laur, being a woman involves more than just getting your period. You’re not even 13 yet- you’ve got a lot of learning and growing up left to do. You can be a kid as long as you want to be a kid.”

Sara felt Laurel smile against her neck. “Good. Because I’m not ready to be a woman yet.”

Sara smiled back. “We aren’t ready for you to be a woman yet either. But no matter how old you get or where you go in life, I hope you know how much Mama and I love you. We’ll always be your #1 fans.”

The two of them cuddled on the couch for a while longer when Ava came home. She was carrying several shopping bags in addition to her briefcase. She smiled when she saw them.

“Two of my three favorite girls,” she said, walking over to the couch to sit beside them and give them both a kiss.

Laurel smiled back at her. “Hi, Mama. Did Mom tell you what happened?”

Ava reached out to stroke her hair. “Yeah. How are you feeling?”

“Okay,” Laurel said. “It feels weird, like I wet my pants or something. And cramps suck.”

Ava laughed. “Yeah, cramps really do suck. But it looks like your mom is helping you feel better.”

“Yeah,” Laurel said, snuggling back into Sara. “She’s pretty good at that.”

Ava gave Sara a smile. “She’s the best.” She looked back at Laurel. “Want to see what I got for you?”

“Sure,” Laurel said. 

“I got you some pads and tampons. Mom said you were a little nervous about trying tampons, but do you think you’d be up for it in a couple of days? You’ll need to use them for swimming. They’re not nearly as scary as they seem, and I’ll talk you through the whole thing, if you want.”

“Okay,” Laurel said in a small voice.

Ava rubbed her arm. “It’s really not bad, I promise. AND, look what else I got.” She pulled out a box from one of the other bags and sat it on the coffee table. “I stopped at the bakery and got some of those chocolate oatmeal cookies you like.” 

“Ooooooh yay!” Laurel said, bounding off of Sara’s lap to grab a cookie from the box. Ava and Sara both grabbed one too. The three of them sat on the couch and ate their cookies, Laurel nestled comfortably between her mothers, her head on Ava’s shoulder and her feet in Sara’s lap. 

“There’s one more thing we wanted to give you,” Sara said. She pulled a small box out of her pocket. Inside was a thin silver necklace with a small pearl pendant. “My mom gave this to my sister Laurel when she graduated from high school. Laurel wore it almost all the time. It was really, really special to her. We wanted you to have it. It’s kind of a way to connect you to her.”

“Wow… it’s beautiful,” said Laurel, touching the necklace gently. She looked at both of her mothers and saw that they had tears in their eyes. “Oh gosh… you’re both crying.”

“Sorry, sorry!” Ava said, wiping her eyes. “Last time I’ll get emotional over it, I swear. It’s just that we both love you so much, and we’re so proud of the person you’re becoming. You’re smart, and funny, and kind, and the best big sister.”

“We got pretty lucky when we got you,” Sara said. “We can’t wait to see the person that you’re going to grow up to be.” Sara knew this day was going to be a turning point for them, the entrance into a new phase in their lives. Their daughters growing up brought about many emotions- fear, sadness, and hesitation, but mostly excitement, joy, and so, so much love.


	19. Awkward Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory lets slip some big news that Laurel had been hiding from Ava and Sara, which leads to an awkward (but very important) conversation.

Rory- 13  
Laurel- 15

Sara never thought that she and Ava would have the type of family who sat down to dinner together and talked about their days. There was too much time traveling and ass-kicking for that, in addition to the girls’ sports and other after school activities. But once in a while the stars aligned, and all four Lances sat down at the dining room table for a home-cooked meal together. 

“So,” Ava asked as she speared an asparagus on her fork, “anything interesting happen today?”

Rory got a cheeky smirk on her face. She and Laurel had been arguing over the past few days, over what neither Ava nor Sara knew. But by the look on her face, Rory seemed like she knew she had the upper hand.

“Laurel has a boyfriend.”

Laurel choked on her water, Sara dropped her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter, and Ava’s mouth dropped open and her eyes grew big.

Rory continued smirking at Laurel. “Max Owens, right? His sister Olivia is on my volleyball team and she said you came over to their house a couple of days ago and she saw you two-“

“SHUT UP!” Laurel said, looking like she was going to either burst into tears or throw up. She jumped up from her chair and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. 

Sara snapped out of her stupor before Ava did. She turned to Rory. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and your sister, but that doesn’t give you the excuse to be a jerk. You’re grounded this weekend and you’re going to give me your phone for the rest of the night.”

“What?” Rory said. “That’s not fair!”

Sara held out her hand. “It’s very fair. Hand it over. Now.”

Rory huffed and pulled her phone out of her pocket and dropped it in Sara’s hand. “I don’t know why I’m getting in trouble for telling you something you needed to know.”

“You’re right, we did need to know. It’s your reasoning for telling us that’s got you in trouble. You didn’t tell us because you were concerned about your sister, you told us because you wanted to embarrass her. Not cool. It would have been a different story if you’d mentioned it to one of us privately. And really, it was Laurel’s place to tell us, not yours.”

Rory looked like she was going to fight back, but Sara cocked her eyebrow at her. “You want to keep going, Rory? Because I can keep your phone the whole weekend if I want to.” 

Rory’s bravado left her. She silently pushed her plate away and got up, and they heard her door slam down the hall too. 

Ava hadn’t moved or spoken since the exchange started. “What the fuck just happened?”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Our daughters are teenagers and they were really showing it tonight.”

“What about what Rory said- Laurel having a boyfriend? Do you think it’s true?”

“She wouldn’t have reacted that strongly if it wasn’t.”

“You don’t think they’re having sex or anything do you?” Ava said with a wince. 

“I hope not,” Sara said. She had DEFINITELY been having sex when she was Laurel’s age, but like Ava she didn’t like think about Laurel having sex already.

“Should we talk with her about it?”

Sara nodded. “Oh yeah.”

Ava winced again. “This is gonna be another awkward one, isn’t it?”

“Probably. But it needs to happen.”

Ava sighed. “Want to just go ahead and get it over with?”

“Yep.”

They got up from the table and walked down the hall to Laurel’s room. Ava knocked on the door.

“Hey Laur, can we come in? Mom and I want to talk to you.”

They heard a mumbled “Yes” from inside the door. Ava opened the door, and she and Sara entered Laurel’s room. Ava shut the door behind her. Laurel was laying facedown on her bed, her face buried in her pillow. Ava sat on the bed and scratched Laurel’s back lightly.

“Can you sit up?”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know, but it’s important.”

Laurel sat up, looking a combination of sad and embarrassed. 

Sara sat on Laurel’s other side. “We wanted to talk with you about what your sister said at dinner.”

Laurel sighed. “I can’t believe she just blurted it out like that. She had no right to do that.”

“Hey,” Ava said. “We’ve dealt with Rory. But we really do need to talk about it.”

Laurel blushed and ducked her head. “I was going to tell you, I swear I was.”

“So who is this guy?” Sara asked.

Laurel unleashed the whole story in almost one breath. “Rory told you. Max Owens. He’s in my biology class and we worked on a project together a couple of months. We got along really well and we started eating lunch together. I went over to his house a few days ago to do some homework and he kissed me. We weren’t alone in his room or anything like that, his mom was home and everything, she was just out in the garden. It was just at the kitchen table. His sister walked in on us and I guess she told Rory. We didn’t do anything more than kiss, I swear. He asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend yesterday.” Laurel buried her face in her hands. 

Ava continued scratching Laurel’s back. “And when were you planning on telling us this?”

Laurel kept her face buried in her hands. “I dunno… soon. I was just afraid you’d be mad, or think I was too young, or make me break up with him or something. I just… I really, really like him, and I was really excited when he asked me. I didn’t want it to be over before it started.”

Ava put her index finger under Laurel’s chin and lifted her face up. “Do we look mad?”

Laurel shook her head. “No.”

“And we’re not. You’re a good kid. You’re mature, and you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and you always make good decisions. We don’t think you’re too young to start doing some dating. BUT, Mom and I have some ground rules that we want to chat with you about first.”

Laurel groaned. “Oh, God, you’re talking about sex stuff, aren’t you? I do NOT want to have this conversation.”

“I know, this is awkward for us, too,” Sara said. “But it’s really, really important, for you AND for whoever you’re dating. So just listen to us for a few minutes, okay?”

“Okay,” Laurel mumbled.  
“First rule,” Ava said. “Consent. If you don’t want to do something, don’t ever feel pressured into doing it. Don’t feel like you have to do something just because he wants to do it, or because your friends are doing it. Your body and your choices are important, and whoever you’re with should respect them. It might be really embarrassing or feel weird at first, but you need to be in constant communication about what you want and how you’re feeling.”

“And the same thing goes for your partner,” Sara said. “If he doesn’t want to do something, don’t try to make him do it. The foundation of any good relationship is respect for what your partner wants and needs. If they don’t have respect for you, and you don’t have respect for them, then it’s not a healthy relationship at all.”

“Second rule,” Ava said. “Protection is really important.”

“Oh, God,” Laurel said. “I told you, we aren’t having sex… I don't even WANT to have sex yet.”

“But you might want to have sex someday,” Sara said. “Only when you’re ready. And when you’re ready, just come to Mama or me and we’ll get you anything you want or need, whether it’s condoms, or if you want to go on the Pill. We want to help keep you healthy and safe, and that includes your sexual health, too.”

Laurel let out a mortified little squeak. 

“And that brings us to our third ground rule,” Ava said. “We want you to know that you can talk to us about anything, at any time. No matter how awkward or embarrassing it is, or how nervous you are about it, we want you to know that you can be open with us. We won’t judge you, we won’t be mad at you. We love you, and we want to help you in whatever way we can. That sound fair?”

Laurel looked up and nodded. 

“Good,” Sara said. “That wasn’t so terrible, was it?”

“No,” Laurel said quietly.

“So,” Ava said. “Can you tell us a little bit about Max?”

Laurel gave her a small smile. “He’s so funny. That’s one of my favorite things about him. He always knows how to make me laugh. And he doesn’t really care that I’m tall.”

“Guys care that you’re tall?” Sara asked with confusion.

“Duh,” Laurel said. “Not many guys want to date someone that’s taller than they are.”

“Huh. Never knew that,” Sara said.  
“Come on, babe,” Ava said, giving Sara a nudge. “I’ve never dated a man in my life and even I knew that!”

“Anyone who doesn’t want to date you because you’re taller than him is a loser,” Sara said. “You’re beautiful just the way you are, and you should only be with someone who sees that.”

Laurel smiled. “Thanks, Mom.”

She told them a little more about Max. He had brown hair and wore glasses, was good at science, and was considered one of the “nerdier” kids in the grade, but that was something that Laurel liked about him. He played soccer, and she had been to see a few of his games. He had two younger sisters, one who was Rory’s age and one who was in the sixth grade. They liked the same video games and books, and she admitted that he had sweetly asked if he could kiss her before going in for the big plunge (“See! Consent” Ava said). 

“Whenever you’re ready to have him over, we’d love to meet him,” Sara said. “We’ll only bring out your baby pictures the third time we meet him,” she said with a smile to indicate that she was joking. 

Laurel smiled. “Soon, I hope. I mean, it’s not like it’s serious or anything, but I like him. We have fun together.”

“Good,” Ava said, rubbing her daughter’s back. “Just remember, you can talk with us about anything. We’re all ears. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Ava kissed her cheek. “We love you so much, Laurel. We’re glad you’re ours.”

“I love you guys, too.” Laurel said, cuddling into Ava’s side. “I’m glad I can talk with you guys about stuff if I need to.”

“Always,” Sara said. “We will always be here for you, and we’ll always be your biggest fans.”


	20. Mornings

Sara remembered the first morning that she had woken up next to Ava. After battling Blackbeard and his gang, Ava and Sara had gone back to Sara’s room. Despite Ava’s fears that she was out of practice, since it had been so long since her last partner, they’d had some of the most mind-blowing sex of Sara’s life. After several amazing rounds, both of them were so exhausted that they fell asleep straightaway. 

It still came as a bit of a shock when she woke up and saw Ava sleeping next to her. Sara wasn’t used to waking up next to another person. She usually snuck out in the morning before the other person woke up, or, like Alex Danvers did, her partner left before she woke. It was easier that way. No afterglow cuddles, no morning kisses, no “Round 2’s.” Those things meant strings, and Sara didn’t do strings. Not since Oliver, and especially not since Nyssa. Strings meant feelings, and too many feelings meant that people could get hurt. But somehow, with Ava, developing feelings didn’t seem to be such a bad thing.

Ava looked so different when she was asleep. She looked younger, and much more vulnerable. Sara could see the light freckles dusted across her nose, and the delicate veins on her eyelids. She’d never noticed it before, but Ava’s eyelashes were long and blonde. Her lips were pursed together, and Sara softly ran her thumb along them, remembering how those lips felt against her own. 

At the touch of Sara’s thumb, Ava’s eyes fluttered open. When she saw Sara looking at her, her face broke into a soft smile. “Hi,” she whispered. She reached out and grabbed Sara’s hand and laced their fingers together, a sweet gesture that Sara wasn’t expecting. “Have you been awake for a long time?”

“Not too long,” Sara said. “It looks like it’s about 5:30 AM Star City time. I didn’t know what time you needed to be in for work.”

“I don’t have to be in until 8:30, but I need to head back to my apartment for a shower and change of clothes. But I think I can stay here until 7 or so.”

“Do you want to get breakfast, or…”

Ava stroked the back of Sara’s hand with her own. “I’d really just like to stay in bed for a while.” She backtracked a bit. “I mean, only if you want to…”

Sara smiled. “Ava Sharpe, is this your way of telling me that you’re a cuddler?”

Ava let out a giggle. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

Sara reached out and pushed a lock of hair behind Ava’s ear. “Big spoon or little spoon?”

Ava’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re letting me choose?”

“Mmmhmm. You’re the guest, and the guest always gets to choose.”

Ava smiled. “Little spoon. And that does NOT leave this room.”  
Sara laughed. “Come here, then.”

Ava turned around on her side, and Sara scooted herself so that she was pressed up against Ava’s back. She wrapped her arms around her and snuggled her close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, and a hint of something else that could only be described as “Ava.” She pressed tiny kisses against Ava’s shoulder and the back of her neck, not meant to be sexual, but warm and comforting. This was exactly the type of “morning after” behavior Sara promised herself to never engage in, but she found herself enjoying it immensely. 

Enveloped in each other’s warmth, they both dozed off. Sara woke up again to Ava’s voice. “This is so nice.”

“Is it?”

“Mmmhmmm. I haven’t done this in a long time. In a really long time. Haven’t slept this good in a while, either.”

“Neither have I,” Sara replied. 

Ava turned in Sara’s arms so that they were facing each other. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Sara’s. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve been wanting to do this.”

Sara smiled against Ava’s lips. “I can tell you how long it’s been since I wanted to.”

“When?”

“When we fought each other on the ship.”

“Really? I thought you wanted to kill me then.”

“I did. I mean, I was having trouble deciding between wanting to kill you or asking you if you wanted to go back to my room so we could fuck each other senseless.”

Ava laughed.

“Ultimately I decided on getting to know you. And then taking you on a date. And making love to you. And then holding you the morning after.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted with you,” Ava said. “Ever since our adventure with the Vikings. I mean, I’d wanted to have sex with you since our fight, too.” 

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that fight was hot.”

Ava laughed again. “But getting to know you has been such a gift. You are a wonderful, special person Sara Lance. And I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten the chance to experience all that you have to offer the world.”

Sara leaned forward to kiss Ava again. “I’m enjoying getting to know you, too. I think this confirms that we’re going to have to do this again. Soon.”

“You free tonight?” Ava asked.

Sara smiled. “For you? I’m free anytime.”

**

Ava and Sara’s mornings got much different once their girls were born. Gone were the days of morning sex, cuddling in bed for hours, and taking relaxing together. 

School days were ridiculously busy around the Lance household. 

When the girls were little, Sara was on breakfast and lunch duty, making coffee, eggs, and toast and packing lunches for Ava, Laurel, and Rory. Ava was busy getting herself ready for work and the girls ready for school. More often than not, she just put the girls in the shower with her to save time, quickly washing them and then herself, before bundling them up in towels and grabbing Sara to help finish readying them for the day. She and Sara each took one daughter and dried her hair, then fixed it in whatever style she requested for the day (having daughters had prompted both Sara and Ava to become very good at braiding hair and coming up with different creative hairstyles). Once the girls were dressed, lunches packed, and backpacks ready, they shuffled them onto the school bus before kissing each other and making their way to the Time Bureau (Ava) or the Waverider (Sara) for work. It was an efficient system, but Ava and Sara rarely had alone time in the mornings anymore. 

As the girls got older and didn’t need their mothers to help them get ready for the day, school mornings became less chaotic. Rory took night showers and Laurel showered in the morning, making arguments about the bathroom almost non-existent (although there was the occasional spat when Rory wore an item of Laurel’s clothing that she had been planning to wear for the day). They packed their own lunches and Laurel drove Rory to school once she got her license, so the most interaction Ava and Sara had with the daughters was a quick kiss on the cheek and a “Bye! Love you!” on the way out the door. This gave Ava and Sara more time to themselves in the morning, and morning cuddles, drinking coffee together and reading the paper (Ava) or doing crosswords (Sara), and even the occasional shower together were re-introduced to their routine. 

But for both Ava and Sara, once they had a family, their favorite mornings were the weekends. Saturdays were always busy- they were filled with swim meets, volleyball matches, and soccer games. But they were also for eating pancakes together while watching Saturday morning cartoons, and playing at the park, and, when the girls got older, going for family runs. 

Sundays were more relaxed. Sundays meant sleeping in and staying in bed until noon. They meant giggling girls climbing on top of them for morning snuggles, and falling back asleep with their daughters safe and snug in their arms. When the girls stayed overnight with a friend or were on vacation visiting Sara’s mom, Sundays for Ava and Sara meant a return to morning sex, and baths together, and watching romantic comedies on the couch. 

Their mornings had changed since that first morning they had spent together, but what hadn’t changed was the love they felt for each other, and the feeling of happiness that both of them felt that they got to wake up next to each other every morning.


	21. First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new classmate helps Rory make some important discoveries about herself, and Laurel is there to support her through it all.

Rory had never gotten the appeal of boys. Her friends were crazy about them. Her older sister, while not boy crazy by any stretch, had a few boyfriends throughout her years in high school, although she claimed to be happily single for the time being. 

Rory LIKED boys- she had boys who were friends. She liked talking with them about video games, and sports, and movies. But she didn’t understand why so many of her close girl friends had started throwing themselves at boys. They went from talking about INTERSTING things to only talking about who the cutest boy in the grade was, or who was “going out” with who, or who they wanted to kiss after the Spring Fling dance. Rory knew there wasn’t anything wrong with liking boys, or wanting to talk about them, but she just didn’t understand the appeal. She was more interested in volleyball, and soccer, and American Ninja Warrior. Talking about cute boys just seemed like a waste of time when there were so many more cool or fun things to discuss. 

When they got to high school, the boy craziness intensified. Her friends all started “dating,” which meant that they often had less time or interest in hanging out with Rory. They often begged her to go on double dates to the movies with one of their boyfriends’ friends, and called Rory “lame” when she said she didn’t want to. 

Soon, Rory’s weekend sleepovers and movies started happening less and less. Laurel, always a wonderful big sister, often invited Rory to spend time with her and her friends, but Rory always felt a little left out, like it was obvious that she was the loser little sister who was just tagging along. More often then not, she spent her weekend nights eating dinner and watching movies with her moms. Ava and Sara didn’t mind the company, but it was heartbreaking for them to see Rory moping around, looking lonely and forlorn.

One Friday, Ava caught Rory wiping away a few tears. 

“Awwww, Roar,” she said, putting down the dish that she was drying and walking over to the couch that Rory was sitting on. She sat down and patted her lap, inviting Rory to climb on. Even though Rory was almost 16 years old and 5’11 (two inches taller than Ava and Laurel and 5 inches taller than Sara), she was still a snuggle bug who loved receiving hugs, kisses, and cuddles from her moms.

Rory sat on Ava’s lap and laid her head on her shoulder.

Ava placed a kiss on her forehead. “Rough day, huh?”

“Maybe I should just go out with somebody, just to get it over with,” Rory sighed. 

Ava scratched her back. “But do you WANT to go out with anyone?”

“No,” Rory grumbled. “But I feel like I should, just because everybody else is.”

“Hey,” Ava said. “You don’t have to do something just because all your friends are. You wait until YOU’RE ready. Frankly, your mom and I are pretty happy you’re not totally boy crazy. It gives us less to worry about, you know?”

Ava felt Rory smile against her shoulder. “I know.”

Ava kissed her again. “We love you, kiddo. You’re kind, and smart, and funny, and a great friend, even if your friends aren’t really returning your friendship right now. We’re so glad that your ours.”

Rory snuggled back in against her mother. “I love you too, Mama. I’m so glad that I’m yours, too.”

**

On the first day of 10th grade, Rory made her way into her homeroom. She was wearing jeans, a Yankees t-shirt that she’d gotten that summer when the family had gone on vacation to New York City, and worn Chuck Taylors. As usual, when sitting in her desk she hunched over into herself, trying not to draw more attention than she already did. She was easily the tallest girl in the grade, and the second tallest in the school (after Chloe King, who was 6’3 and going to Metropolis U on a basketball scholarship). Rory was still shy and self-conscious, and wanted nothing more than to blend into the rest of the students. She hated the attention that her height often drew, even though it was one of the reasons she was so good at volleyball, and would be starting on the Star City High varsity team as a sophomore. As she waited for class to get started, she drew idly in her notebook. 

The teacher was calling roll when the door opened and a girl walked into the classroom, slightly out of breath.

“Sorry- is this Mr. Bridges’s class?”

Mr. Bridges glanced up. “Yes. And you are…?”

“Hana Lawrence. I was at the office and they said this was my homeroom?”

Mr. Bridges glanced down at his roll sheet. “Right. You’re in the right spot.”

Rory looked at the latecomer, and saw that she was one of the most stunningly beautiful girls that Rory had ever seen. She looked different than anyone Rory had seen before- she had caramel-colored skin, almond-shaped eyes, and dark curly hair that she’d put up in a bun. Rory looked down quickly so it wouldn’t seem like she was staring, but the new girl caught her eye anyway and gave her a slight smile.

She moved over and took a free desk next to Rory. 

“Hi,” she said with a smile.

“Hi,” Rory replied, trying to tamp down the nervous feeling that had come into her stomach. Where had that come from?

“I’m Hana,” she said, sticking out her hand.

“Rory,” Rory said, shaking her hand lightly. 

“Neat drawings,” Hana said, pointing at Rory’s notebook. “Is that a heart?”

Rory found herself blushing. She had been drawing a heart like she’d seen in her anatomy textbook. She loved science and medicine, and wanted to be a doctor someday, but you didn’t see many kids drawing anatomically correct body parts as doodles. 

“Yeah, it’s a heart. I’m in anatomy this year so I was just practicing.”

“It’s really good,” Hana said. 

“Thanks,” Rory said with a slight smile, still blushing.

“Hey, do you think you could help me out in figuring out where some of my classes are? This place is like a maze.”

“Sure,” Rory said. “Can I see your schedule?”

Hana handed it over, and Rory looked at it for a few seconds.

“Oh, you and I have Spanish together next block with Señora Garcia. I can just walk there with you so you’ll know where to go. And we’ve got English, together too. Oh, and we’ve got Algebra II tomorrow. And we both have “A” lunch.”

“Great!” Hana said with a big smile. “I know it may seem really lame of me to ask, but can I sit with you at lunch? I don’t want to have to eat lunch in the bathroom or anything on my first day.”

“Oh, totally,” Rory said. “I’ll probably be sitting with my sister Laurel and her friends. She’s a senior, but she and her friends are pretty cool. I mean, they let me tag along with them a lot.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” Hana said. “I’ve got two little sisters. They’re both in middle school, and I definitely wouldn’t want them tagging along with me. But if they were as cool as you, I might actually let them.”

Rory found herself blushing again, but she also found herself smiling into her notebook. She thought she could get used to this.

Rory was usually really shy around new people, but she found that Hana was really easy to talk to.

“So, are you new to Star City?” she asked as they walked to Spanish.

“Yeah,” Hana said. “We moved here a couple of weeks ago from Gotham. My dad just got a job teaching at Star City University, and my mom’s working as an engineer at Star Labs. She used to be at Wayne Enterprises.”

“Oh, that’s cool!” Rory said. “My mom is actually really good friends with Felicity Smoak. They go way back.”

Hana’s eyebrows went up slightly. “Oh, really? Does she work there too?”

Rory shook her head. “No, she used to work for the, uh, government. She traveled a lot for work, but now she's a journalist and is able to stay around here more. My other mom works for the government, too.”

“Oh, you have two moms?”

“Yeah.” Rory shrugged. “It’s different than most families, but it’s all I’ve ever known.”

“No, that’s really cool,” Hana said, and Rory could tell that she really meant it. 

At lunch, Rory and Hana made their way over to Laurel’s table, where she was sitting with her two best friends, Emma and Sam. They’d been letting Rory sit with them at lunch, since her friends had been being pretty sucky lately.

“Hey guys,” Rory said as they sat down. “This is Hana. She’s in a few of my classes. She just moved here from Gotham.”

All three girls waved and introduced themselves.

“Hana… that’s a really pretty name! I’ve usually heard it pronounced like Hannah,” Emma said.

“It means ‘flower’ in Japanese,” Hana said. “My mom’s Japanese, and my sisters and I all have Japanese names. Theirs are Mari and Rie.”

“Is your dad from Japan, too?” Rory asked.

“No, he’s American, from Michigan, originally,” Hana said. “He’s a Japanese history professor, though, and my parents met when he was studying abroad in Japan. They were at the same university, and she moved to the U.S. when she graduated. We’ve lived all over, though. I was born in Japan, and we’ve been in L.A., National City, Philadelphia, Gotham, and now here. My dad got tenure though so we should be in Star City for good.”

“That’s great,” Rory said, a little too enthusiastically. She looked over and caught Laurel giving her a curious look. What was that all about? 

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to stay in the same place for a while,” Hana said. 

Over the course of lunch, they found out that Hana was a swimmer, and Laurel was already pushing her to try out for the school’s swim team. Laurel was a fantastic swimmer, and already had a scholarship to swim at Stanford once she graduated (in addition to being a great athlete, she was also super smart, and Ava and Sara often jokingly asked where THAT had come from). She and Rory liked many of the same tv shows, books, and video games, and Rory shyly invited her over to play the old-school game Fortnite one weekend. 

“Oh, I’d love that!” Hana said enthusiastically. “My dad has Fortnite but I can never convince my sisters to play with me. It’s nice having friends who like those kinds of games.”

“Friends?” Rory asked hopefully.

“Yes, friends,” Hana said with a big smile. 

**

Over the next few months, Rory and Hana grew extremely close. They ate with Laurel’s crew at lunch most days, and they also started hanging out with some of the girls on Rory’s volleyball team. Hana came to most of Rory’s volleyball games, and along with Laurel, Emma, and Sam, helped form a “cheer section” for the team. Once volleyball season was over and swim season started, Rory made her own cheer section with Sam for Laurel, Emma, and Hana, who were all on the swim team. Whever Hana saw Rory in the crowd, she would wave at her enthusiastically.

Rory thought that Hana was a total badass. Hana was bold and didn’t take anyone’s bullshit, and she wasn’t shy about speaking her mind or asking uncomfortable questions.

“Why do you always walk like that?” she asked Rory one day as they were walking through the halls.

“Like what?”

“Hunched over. It doesn’t look very comfortable. You sit like that, too.”

“Oh,” Rory said, blushing. “I guess I’m trying to make myself look smaller than I am.”

“Why?” Hana asked. “I think it’s so cool that you’re tall! You’re like a Valkyrie.”

“I guess I just don’t like people staring,” Rory mumbled.

“So? Let them stare,” Hana said. “People stare at me all the time. Especially when I’m out with my parents. A Black man and an Asian woman? You don’t see that every day. But I’m proud of who I am. I’m proud of both sides of my family, and my heritage and culture. You should be proud of your height, too. It’s part of what makes you who you are.”

“You really think it’s cool?” Rory asked.

“Totally.” Hana said. “I mean, you’re pretty cool without the height anyway. It’s just an added bonus.” Was Rory imagining it, or did Hana’s cheeks get a bit red when she said that?

Rory stood up straight. “Is this better?” she asked with a smile.

Hana smiled back at her, before grabbing her around the waist and pulling her in for a hug. “Much,” she giggled. Rory distinctly noticed the way that her stomach tightened and got butterflies in it when Hana touched her. It made her wonder…

That night, Laurel was doing homework in her room when Rory knocked on her door. “Hey… can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Laurel said. “What’s up?”

Despite what some of their past arguments might lead someone to believe, Rory and Laurel were extremely close. They were both very close with their moms, too, but there were just some things that you could only talk to your sister about. 

Rory shut the door behind her and flopped down on Laurel’s bed with a sigh.

“How do you know you have a crush on someone? Like, a serious crush. Not just thinking somebody’s cute.”

Laurel swiveled her chair around. “I don’t know, it can be hard to tell at first.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I guess… Thinking they’re cute is part of it, but it’s more than that, right? You find yourself wanting to be around them all the time. And you sometimes get excited when they come into the room, or if they give you a hug or touch your hand or something. And not just excited as in ‘Hey! I’m excited to see you!’ But excited as in… EXCITED excited.”

Rory blushed. “THAT kind of excited. Got it.” 

“And you just feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you’re near them.” Laurel looked at Rory pointedly. “Why are you asking? Do you have a crush on somebody?”

Rory blushed again. “Maybe.”

Laurel smiled widely and jumped on the bed next to her sister. “Are you going to tell me who it is?”

“I don’t know…”

“How about if I guess? I think I know who it MIGHT be, I just want to see if I’m right.”

Rory nodded.

“Is it Hana?”

Rory buried her head in her hands. “Is it that obvious? I must look like a total loser.”

“No, no! It’s not obvious. I’m your sister, I notice these things.” Laurel put her arm around Rory protectively. “I noticed how much happier you are now that she’s around. You’re like a totally different person. And honestly, she’s crushing pretty hard on YOU. That’s actually really obvious to me. I see the way she looks at you when she sees you at our swim meets, and how she lights up when you come into the cafeteria.”

“Why would she have a crush on me though?” Rory asked. “She’s so fun, and she’s such a badass. And she’s BEAUTIFUL. God- she could be a model if she wanted, but she’s too cool for that. I’m just- me.”

Laurel squeezed Rory’s shoulders. “You’re not JUST you. You’re the one and only Rory Lance! You’re only a sophomore but you’re the best player on the volleyball team. You’re smart, and you’re funny, and you’re a great friend. And you’re beautiful, and I’m not just saying that because you’re my sister. You’re a knockout, but more importantly, you’re a pretty damn good person, and anyone who’s around you for more than 5 minutes will see that.”

Rory leaned into Laurel’s hug. “And you’re okay with it… being a girl?”

Laurel leaned back so that she could look her sister in the eyes. “I am so, so totally okay with it. Did you think for a second that I wouldn’t be?”

“No,” Rory said, “but I just wanted to check. Do Mom and Mama know? About me, I mean.”

“I think they’ve… wondered,” Laurel said. “But if you tell them, they’ll be so happy for you, and so supportive. You know that.”

“I know,” Rory said. “I just… maybe want to wait a little? I mean, they’re in a lesbian relationship, DUH they’ll be okay with it. But it’s not always easy to come out and say it, you know?”

“I get it,” Laurel said. “I’m just so proud of you, you know that, right?”

“Thanks,” Rory said, wrapping her arms around Laurel’s waist and cuddling into her sister. 

Laurel placed a quick kiss on Rory’s head. “And you’ll let me know if anything happens between you guys, right?”

Rory laughed. “Don’t worry, Laur, you’ll be the first to know!”

**

Two weeks later

Hana was doing a project on astronomy for her science class, and she asked Rory if she wanted to go out one of Star City’s suburbs to go stargazing. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she said. “My dad is just being weird about me going out there by myself, and I thought it might be fun to, you know, see the stars and all that.” Rory definitely didn’t miss the blush when she said that. 

“No, no, I’d love to go. Are you going to be driving, or do you want me to?” Rory and Hana had both gotten their driver’s licenses in the past two months.

“Can you drive? I can if you don’t want to, but you know the area better.”

“Definitely. I’ll borrow my mom’s car and come pick you up. Does 8:00 work? I have an 11:00 curfew but I may be able to extend it if we need to.”

“No, 8:00 is great,” Hana said. “I’ll see you then!”

Sara and Ava were both home when Rory got home from school that afternoon. Sara’s days with the Legends had been over for a couple of years; Amaya had returned to the past, Zari had returned to the future, and Ray Palmer had settled down with Nora Dahrk, of all people. Sara wanted more time to spend with her family, and she would never admit it, but now that she was in her forties, fighting was starting to take a major toll on her physically. The Legends were still active, with a new crew headed by Wally West and Captain Mick Rory (who, shockingly enough, made an EXCELLENT captain). All the Legends were still close. They saw Ray and his family regularly, and Amaya and Zari returned to present-day Star City on special occasions (they were both coming for Laurel’s graduation in the spring). Sara did some consulting work for the Time Bureau when needed, but she was mostly spending her time doing freelance journalist work. She’d finally finished her English degree that she’d abandoned after getting shipwrecked. She liked writing, and she liked that it gave her a chance to be an active parent in her daughters’ lives. She cooked dinner, cleaned the house, and was at every volleyball game, swim meet, and soccer match. 

Rory kicked her shoes off at the door. “Hey, Mom?”

“Yep?” Sara said, looking up from the piece she was writing on her laptop. 

“Can I use your car tonight?” Rory asked.

“That depends. What do you need it for and how long do you need it?”

“From like, 8 to 10 or 11? I was going to stargazing with Hana.”

Sara’s eyebrows shot up. “Stargazing, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s doing an astronomy project for science class. She’s got a telescope and everything that we’re going to use. We’re going out to the ‘burbs so that there’s not as much light pollution.”

Rory missed the pointed look Sara shot at Ava, who was in the kitchen cutting veggies for dinner. Ava winked at Sara. 

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Sara said. “Just please be careful, and have your phone on so we can call you if we need to. And… have fun.” 

“Thanks, Mom!” Rory said, giving Sara a quick kiss before running off to her room to do her homework.

Sara made her way back to the kitchen, where she wrapped her arms around Ava’s waist. 

“So… think they’re actually going stargazing?”

Sara could hear the smile in Ava’s voice. “Probably, but I think Hana might have some ulterior motives up her sleeve.”

“When do you think Rory’s going to tell us?” Sara asked.

“When she’s ready,” Ava replied. 

Like Laurel had said, Ava and Sara had both wondered about their youngest daughter’s sexuality. They agreed not to approach the subject with her until she brought it up; they wanted to make sure that she was comfortable and ready before she came out to them. “It’s not easy,” Sara said. “Even when you know your parents are going to be supportive.” 

Rory headed out slightly before 8:00, carrying a large blanket, a 2 Liter bottle of Sprite, and some Oreos for them to snack on while they sat in the car.

“Drive safely,” Sara said as she handed her daughter the keys to her car. “Don’t speed, don’t flip anyone off if they cut you off, and remember…”

“Keep my phone on, I know,” Rory said, bending down to give her mother a kiss. “I’ll text you when we get there and when we’re about to leave.”

“Thank you,” Sara said. 

Ava came over to give Rory a hug and kiss, too. “Be safe, baby,” she said, ignoring Rory’s eye roll at the “baby” nickname. “Have fun. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Rory said. 

As she made her way to the car, she felt her phone vibrate. She glanced at it and saw it was a text from her sister. 

“Have fun tonight!” the text read. “Let me know if anything happens :)”

“I will ☺” she responded.

After picking Hana up, they drove out to one of the suburbs and found a field, where they parked the car. Hana set up her telescope, and they spent a while looking at stars. 

Hana picked out several constellations, and Rory, who was a good artist, helped her draw them. In the meantime, they ate Oreos and drank Sprite straight from the bottle (Rory had forgotten cups) and chatted happily about school, and their lives, and their friends.

Rory noticed Hana shivering. “Hey, are you cold? Do you want me to get the blanket?”

“That’d be awesome, thanks.”

Rory grabbed the blanket and handed it to Hana. Hana put the blanket around her shoulders, but she held it open for Rory. “You should get under here, too. You have to be cold.”

Rory let Hana wrap the blanket around her shoulders, and they silently huddled together. Rory felt the familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach.

She heard Hana take a deep breath. 

“So, Rory, there’s something I wanted to tell you,”

Rory gulped. “What is it? Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” There was a nervousness in Hana’s voice that Rory had never heard before. “It’s just… I like you a lot.”

“I like you a lot, too,” Rory said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No, I mean…” Hana swallowed. “I… LIKE you like you. In a more than friends way. And I thought, or maybe I hoped… that you liked me that way, too.”

Rory felt a lump grow in her throat. She wanted to respond, but she couldn’t, so she just nodded.

A smile slowly spread across Hana’s face. “Is that a yes?” she whispered?

Rory nodded again. She felt tears slip out of her eyes. Shit. That was the last thing she wanted. 

Hana’s face grew troubled. “Oh, God, I made you cry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” she reached out and brushed a tear off Rory’s cheek.

“No, no,” Rory said, finally willing herself to speak. “I’m not sad, I’m really happy! I just get really emotional over stuff sometimes. I’ve been wanting to hear you say that for weeks and weeks.”

“Really?” Hana said, smiling again. 

“Really,” Rory confirmed.

Hana’s voice was quiet. “Rory, is it okay if I kiss you?”

“Yes,” Rory answered breathily.

Hana leaned in, and her lips meeting Rory’s may have been the best thing Rory had experienced, EVER. They were so SOFT. She never knew kissing could be so soft. Rory reached out and brought her hand to Hana’s face, and cupped her cheek gently. 

Hana pulled back and looked at Rory. The stars reflected in her eyes.

“Wow,” she said. 

“I know,” Rory replied. Rory leaned in and they kissed again. Rory got a bit overenthusiastic, and accidentally got a little bit of spit on Hana’s nose. 

“Oh gross, I’m sorry,” Rory said, wiping it off with her thumb. “I have no clue what I’m doing.”

Hana laughed. “It’s not gross at all. I don’t know what I’m doing either, I’ve never done this before.”

“Never?”

“Nope.”

“Good,” Rory said with a laugh. “Me either.”

“Want to try some more?” Hana asked shyly. 

“Yes,” Rory said. 

Hana kissed her again, this time a bit deeper and open-mouthed. She laced their fingers together, and gently guided Rory down to the ground. With Hana’s weight on top of her and her lips on hers, Rory thought she had died and gone to Heaven. This was, hands down, her new favorite thing. It was all she had ever imagined it would be and more. 

**  
Rory arrived home slightly before her 11:00 curfew. Sara and Ava were watching tv on the couch with Laurel. 

“So, did you guys have fun?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, it was… great,” Rory said.

“Great, huh?” Ava said, giving Sara a side-eyed look.

“Yeah. We saw a lot of stars. It was cool.”

Laurel got a mischievous look on her face. “So you guys laid on the ground and looked at the stars, right?”

Rory looked confused. “No, Hana had a telescope. Why would you think we laid on the ground?”

“Because you have mud all over your back.”

“OH,” Rory said. “We might’ve… watched from our backs some. I’m, uh, going to change clothes now.” She calmly walked out of the living room and down the hall to her bedroom, and heard Laurel steps behind her. 

Laurel followed Rory into her room and shut the door behind her. 

“Sorry for teasing you back there, I couldn’t resist. Payback for when you told Mom and Mama that I was dating Max a few years ago.”

Rory groaned. “Okay, I definitely deserved that.” She took off her shirt and saw that it was indeed covered in a large amount of mud, as were her jeans. She was going to need to wash them. 

Laurel sat down on Rory’s bed.

“Soooooooooooooo…”

“So what?”

“Soooooooooooooo are you going to tell me what happened?”

Rory looked at her sister and smiled. “We kissed.”

“I KNEW IT!” Laurel said, jumping up and down on the bed. 

“Shhhhh!” Rory said, running over to calm her sister down. “They’re going to hear you!”

“Oh, come on, they already know,” Laurel said, but she still sat down on the bed. “So, how was it? You gotta give me all the details.”

“It was… nice,” Rory said. “Very soft. And a little slobbery. And tongues are kind of weird but also really great.” 

Laurel squealed gleefully. “So how far did you get? 1st base, 2nd base…”

“2nd,” Rory said, blushing furiously. “I think I’m good to stay on stay there for a while, but… it’s a good place to stay.”

Laurel laughed. “Yeah, it is.” She made a little squeal again. “I’m so happy for you, Roar.”

“I’m happy for me, too,” Rory said. 

“So, are you gonna tell Mom and Mama?”

“Tomorrow,” Rory said. “I want to let it sit in a little bit more. Plus they’re going to give me the sex talk, and I SO don’t want to have that conversation right now.”

Laurel laughed. “Yeah, they’re going to give you the sex talk, but it’s not bad, I promise. It’s not like, step-by-step instructions or anything. Mostly about consent and protection. I wish I could be there to see your face when Mama starts going on about dental dams.”

“God, Laurel,” Rory said, blushing again. 

Laurel laughed. “I can’t believe it. My baby sister’s really growing up.”

Rory rolled her eyes. “You said that when I got my period, too.”

Laurel snorted. “What can I say? I’m sentimental. I got that from Mom.” Laurel raised her eyebrows at her sister. “Did you guys make it official?” she asked.

Rory started giggling. “Yeah.”

“So she’s your girlfriend?”

“Yep. I asked her right before I dropped her off and she said yes.”

“Oh my gosh, look at you! My baby sister, picking up chicks.”

Rory groaned. “Laurel…”

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll stop.” Her smile softened. “Hey. I’m so proud of you. That takes a lot of guts.”

“I’m proud of myself,” Rory said. “And I’m just really, really happy about this.”

“Me too,” Laurel said. She spent the night in Rory’s room with her, and the spent hours talking, and giggling, and enjoying being together.

**

From their spot on the couch, Ava and Sara could hear the giggling and squealing coming from Rory’s room.

“Do you think they actually watched stars on their backs?” Ava asked playfully. 

“Not a chance,” Sara said. “They were definitely making out.”

“We’re probably going to have to have the talk with her soon, aren’t we?” Ava remarked.

“Yep,” Sara said. “And this time I’m letting YOU explain all the embarrassing details.”

Ava punched her shoulder gently. “What am I going to do with you, Sara Lance?”

Sara grinned. “You know you love me.”

Ava gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Yep, I do. I love our girls, too, and I really love the people they’re growing up to be.”


	22. The Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara asks Ava to marry her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys- it's been a minute since I updated! I had a bit of writer's block for this fic. If anyone has any prompts or ideas for storylines in any part of Sara, Ava, and the kids' life, let me know! The story is nonlinear so it could be at any point.

Sara had asked her father to meet her at one of their favorite diners in Star City. It was open late, which was great for a police detective who was used to working night shifts, as well as for a time-traveling ex-assassin who didn’t keep up with normal business hours. She didn’t tell him WHY she wanted to meet him. She wanted to keep that a surprise.

Quentin smiled when he saw his daughter sitting in a booth at the back of the restaurant. He saw Sara too little these days, maybe once or twice a year, if that. The last time he’d seen her was eight months before. She had wanted to introduce him to her girlfriend, Ava. It was only the second time in recent memory that she’d introduced him to anyone she’d been dating. He had really liked Ava- she was smart, funny, and respectful, but most importantly, he liked the way she looked at his daughter. Ava looked at Sara like she was the most precious thing in the world to her, and it was any father’s dream to have someone look at his daughter that way, especially a daughter who had been through as much as Sara had. Sara, more than anyone, deserved to have someone she loved, and to be loved like that in return.

“Hey!” Sara said when she saw her father. She stood up to give him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Sorry I’m a little late,” Quentin said, returning his daughter’s kiss. “You haven’t been waiting too long, have you?”

“Nah, just about 10 minutes,” Sara said as they both slid into the booth. Sara had already ordered for both of them, because she knew exactly what her father liked. He’d gotten the same meal at this diner every time they’d been for the past 20 years: a three egg Western omelet with hot sauce, hash browns, and black coffee. Sara ordered pancakes and an orange juice for herself. 

“So, how are things on the ship?” Quentin asked as he took a bite of his omelet. 

“Great. We just got back from medieval France,” Sara said. She paused to take a sip of her orange juice and continued, “Ava was a little concerned about me going because I had a thing with the Queen of France the last time we were there”- Quentin rolled his eyes at that- “but I swore nothing was gonna happen. I’m a one-woman woman now,” Sara said with a smile. 

“Where is Ava, by the way?” her father asked. “I was hoping she’d join us. It would be nice to see her.”

“She’s back at her apartment,” Sara said. “I’m going back there, once we’re finished up.” Ava still had a permanent place in Star City, even though she spent most of her time on the Waverider with Sara. It was nice to have a stable spot to call home, and Sara enjoyed spending some of her rare off time there, too. 

Sara’s face softened a bit. “Ava is actually what I was wanting to talk with you about,” she said. She took a deep breath. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

Quentin’s eyebrows shot up.

“You seem surprised,” Sara said, a bit of wariness in her voice. “Are you okay with it?”

Quentin’s face softened considerably. “Sara,” he said. “I am more than okay with this. I liked Ava very much- you know that. It’s obvious how much you both love each other. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised. I just… didn’t see this coming from you.”

“Honestly, I didn’t either,” Sara said. “I didn’t think it was possible for me to settle down with anyone. I mean, damaged goods, right?”

“You are NOT damaged goods,” her father said seriously.

“I know that, but it’s hard for me not to see myself that way,” Sara said. “But Ava helped me to see that I’m so much more than my past. That I’m worthy of love, and that the love I have to give is worthy, too. She’s put up with so much of my shit, and has stayed put through all of it. That type of love and loyalty is worth keeping.”

Quentin reached across the table and grabbed Sara’s hand. “I’m so glad that she helped you see that. All of us have seen it in you for so long.”

Sara smiled shyly. “I know, it’s just… it’s tough, you know?”

Quentin nodded. 

“I was wondering if I could have Grandma Evelyn’s ring,” Sara said. She had been extremely close to her grandmother, and couldn’t think of a more special way to welcome Ava into the family. 

“Of course,” Quentin said, squeezing her hand comfortingly. “I couldn’t think of a better person to wear her ring. She would be so excited for you.”

“I wish she could meet Ava. She would have loved her.”

“She would’ve,” Quentin agreed. “Want to head over to my place after we eat to grab it?”

“Yeah,” Sara said with a smile. “I already have a box and everything.”

“When are you going to ask her?” 

“Soon,” Sara said. “I want it to be special.”

“I know it will be,” he said. “I’m so happy for you, Sara. I can’t think of anyone who deserves love more than you do.”

**  
Sara had the ring in her possession for two months. She was waiting for the perfect moment to ask Ava to marry her. Most of Ava’s memories prior to the two years she’d been with Sara were manufactured, and she still often had trouble knowing which of her memories were real or not. Sara wanted her proposal to be something special, something that Ava would never, Ava doubt was real. 

But it never seemed like the right moment. They got busy with work- time traveling, fighting, solving problems. During their downtime, they enjoyed hanging out with the Legends, or having sex, or sparring. There wasn’t time for a special date for Sara to pop the question. 

Exactly two years after they started dating, Sara and Ava were enjoying a rare off weekend in Ava’s apartment. They were sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and watching the world’s shittiest reality show, a show that neither would admit they actually enjoyed. 

“I love this,” Ava said, her mouth full of ice cream. 

“This show?” Sara said, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“No, dumbass. THIS. Just… being here, at home with you. No anachronisms, no drama, no Legends or Gary to bug us. Just sitting here and snuggling together. And knowing that once this show is over we’re going to go back into my room, and I'm probably going to eat you out, and then I'm probably going to ride your fingers, and we’re both gonna go to sleep and wake up in the morning all warm and snuggled together. And then we’ll do it all over again. I just think… I could do this with you forever, you know?”

Sara felt a lump in her throat. She DID know. And she did want to do this forever with Ava. Screw “special.” This was as special as it could ever get. 

“Why don’t we do it forever then?” Sara asked. She got up off the couch suddenly and went to her bag, where she had taken to carrying the ring around all the time. Without even thinking, she grabbed the small velvet box the ring was in and opened it, then took the ring out and carried the ring over to Ava. She knelt down in front of her. At the sight of the ring, Ava gasped. 

“You care about me, and you love me even though I’m sometimes pretty damn unlovable. You remind me who I am even when I forget. You make me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You fix the broken parts of me. You complete me, Ava Sharpe, and I want you to keep loving me and completing me for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

By the time Sara finished, tears were streaming down Ava’s face. With a watery smile, she just nodded, over and over. 

“Yeah?” Sara said, a hint of hopefulness in her voice.

Finally, Ava was able to speak. “Yes,” she said firmly. “Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes!”

Sara got up and pulled Ava into a hug. She could feel Ava’s tears running down her neck, and felt tears of her own falling down her face. She pulled back to kiss Ava, then slid the ring onto her finger. 

“This ring… it’s beautiful,” Ava said wonderingly, still in awe of the whole situation. The ring was a bit big on her finger, but it could easily be resized.

“It was my grandmother’s,” Sara said as she sat on the couch next to Ava, her voice filled with love. “She died when I was 15. She was such a badass. She never took shit from anyone, and always taught me and Laurel to stand up for ourselves. She would have loved you.”

“I think I would have loved her, too,” Ava said quietly. There were so many people in Sara’s life she wished she had the chance to get to know- Laurel being chief among them. She knew how much it pained Sara that Laurel had never gotten to meet Ava, and that she wouldn’t be there to see them build their life together.

“You have no idea how special this is to me,” Ava said, leaning against Sara’s shoulder and holding out her left hand so that they both could gaze at the ring. “I don’t have many memories that I know for sure are real, but I’ll always, always, always remember this.”

“I love you,” Sara said. “I can’t wait to make you my wife.”

“I love you, too,” Ava responded. “And I can’t wait to make YOU my wife.”

Sara looked at Ava, and with a hint of naughtiness in her voice, asked, “SO… what was it you said earlier about us going back to your room? Something about eating me out?”

Ava giggled. “Oh, so we’re going THERE now? I thought we were having a moment!”

“We HAD our moment!” Sara said. “It was a wonderful, beautiful moment that we’ll always remember. Now I want us to celebrate by having you eat me out.”

“Fiiiiiiiine,” Ava said in mock annoyance, although they both knew she was going to thoroughly enjoy it. She offered her hand to Sara. “Shall we?”

Sara grasped Ava’s hand and let her fiancée (she felt her heart squeeze at that word) pull her up. They’d had quite the journey getting to this point, but despite the many doubts and hardships, neither of them regretted any of it. They knew more doubts and hardships lay ahead, but both of them were so excited about their new journey in life together.


	23. Saying Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurel leaves for college, and everyone, especially Rory, is experiencing strong feelings about it.

“PLEASE tell me that was the last one,” Ava said as she shoved a cardboard box into the back of their rented van.   
“That’s it,” Laurel said, appearing suddenly beside Ava. “I just triple checked my room. And if I forgot anything I’ll just go to Target and get it, my roommate has a car that she said I could borrow.” Ava could actually FEEL her daughter buzzing with excitement.

Today was the day that Laurel had been looking forward to for months- she was FINALLY going to college. She was leaving a few weeks earlier than most students, since she was going to be on the swim team. She had wanted to go to Stanford since she was 10, and she couldn’t believe that her dream was finally coming true. She’d worked her ass off in high school to get the grades and test scores she needed to get in, and the fact that she got a scholarship to be on the swim team on top of it was just a dream come true. 

“I can’t believe we’re moving you into college,” Ava said, reaching out to wrap an arm around Laurel’s shoulders and pull her close in a hug. “It just seems like yesterday that you were starting kindergarten.”

Laurel smiled. “At least you started with kindergarten. Mom was talking earlier about how it seemed like yesterday that she was changing my diapers.”

“That too!” Ava said. “We definitely changed a lot of diapers. But watching you grow into this amazing young woman has been such a gift.”

Laurel nodded, suddenly a bit shy. “Where are Mom and Rory? We need to get going.”

Ava gave Laurel one last squeeze before walking to the front door and shouting, “Sara and Rory! Get your asses down here now! We have to go!”

Sara was upstairs in Ava’s and her room, trying to collect herself. Ava was going to miss Laurel as much as Sara was, but she was much less sentimental. She had been talking with Laurel for weeks about how much fun she was going to have at college, how many friends she would make, and helping her plan her class schedule. Most people would think that tough Sara Lance, the former member of the League of Assassins and Captain of the Waverider, would be tough as nails. She was, but when it came to her daughters, Sara was nothing but a puddle of goo. All she could think about in the weeks leading up to the move was holding a tiny, crying Laurel against her chest after she was born, of introducing her to her baby sister, of walking her to the front door of school on her first day of kindergarten, of Laurel nestling into her lap when she needed reassurance. The thought of not seeing Laurel every day was heart-wrenching. 

Sara took and deep breath and walked out of the room. She walked past Rory’s room and stopped when she saw Rory lying on her bed. 

“Come on Rory, you need to get up. Mama and your sister are raring to go.”

Rory sniffed and turned towards Sara, and Sara’s heart broke a bit when she saw that tears were coming down her face. 

“Oh, Roar,” Sara said sadly. She walked into the room and sat down next to Rory, and gently positioned her head so that it was in her lap. She softly stroked Rory’s hair, and Rory cried softly into her mother’s lap.

Rory, like Sara, was a bit of a softie, and was highly sentimental. She and Laurel had gotten extremely close the past year, after most of Rory’s friends had deserted her. Laurel and her friend group had embraced Rory with open arms, as well as her girlfriend, Hana. They ate lunch together, went to movies and sporting events together, and hung out with each other on the weekends. Laurel was the first one Rory had come out to. As hard as it would be on Ava and Sara not to have Laurel around, it was probably going to be hardest on Rory. 

“I didn’t want to cry in front of her,” Rory sniffed. “She’s just SO excited, and I didn’t want her to know how sad I am. I’m excited for her, but I’m sad for me.”

“It’s ok to be sad about it,” Sara said. “Mama and I are sad, too. And I think even Laurel’s a little bit sad. She’s mostly excited, but she’ll miss us. You especially, I think.”

“What am I going to do without her?” Rory asked, her voice cracking with emotion.

“God, you make it sound like I’m dying or something,” came a voice from the doorway. Rory looked up and saw her sister standing at the door. 

“Did Mama send you up to get us?” Sara asked. 

“Yeah,” Laurel said, her voice softer when she realized how upset Rory was. “Can you give us a few minutes?” 

Rory sat up, and Sara placed a kiss on her cheek. “Take all the time you need,” she whispered to Laurel.

Laurel sat down beside Rory, and Rory rested her head on Laurel’s shoulder. “I swear I’m excited for you,” she said.

“I know,” Laurel replied. “Do you want to know a secret? I’m actually terrified.”

“About what?”

“About whether I’ll be able to make friends or not, and if I’ll do okay on the swim team, and if I’ll make it academically.”

“You’re such a badass,” Rory said. “You don’t have to be afraid of anything.”

“Badasses can be afraid of stuff and still be badasses,” Laurel said. “Look at our moms. Both of them are TOTAL badasses, but they still get scared. And Mom’s been crying all morning about me going away. And I heard Mama crying in the bathroom last night, too. I’m going to miss them SO much. But I think I’m probably going to miss you the most.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Laurel said, nudging Rory with her shoulder. “Who else is going to kick my asshole ex-boyfriends in the balls?” 

Rory giggled; she had gotten 2 days of in-school suspension for kicking Laurel’s jerk of an ex in the balls after he broke up with her the week before her senior prom.

“And who else would put aside a date night with their hot girlfriend to be MY prom date, and get me flowers and a corsage, and dance all night with me and my friends to keep my mind of the fact that I’d been dumped?”

Rory smiled again. That had been one of the best nights of her life. Hana had been totally supportive, and she had an amazing time with her sister.

“And I’m going to be missing so much with you too,” Laurel continued. “I won’t get to see your volleyball games, and quiz you on history, and lay in bed with you when you and Hana finally have sex.”

“Laurel!” Rory squeaked, but she still smiled.

“You better call me the night it happens,” Laurel said. “I’m not kidding, I better be the first to know.”

“You’ll be the very first to know,” Rory whispered. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Laurel said. “Distance is just a number. I’ll always be a text or a phone call away, and if you REALLY need me…” she pulled something out of her pocket. “I’ve got this.”

“Is that a Time Courier?” Rory asked.

“Yeah,” Laurel said. “It’s extremely illegal. Mama doesn’t know I have it, but I honestly don’t think she would be TOO pissed if she found out.”

“How’d you get it?”

“I asked Uncle Gary,” she said. Gary loved Laurel and Rory like they were his own daughters, and he was totally putty in their hands. “He gave me an extra one that was unregistered. If you need me to be there with you, just text me and I’ll come, no questions asked.”

Rory gave Laurel a watery smile. “I know I get on your nerves a lot of the time, but you really are the best sister ever.”

Laurel smiled back. “I was just about to say the same thing about you. I love you so much, Roar.”

“I love you, too,” Rory said.

“Read to head back downstairs?” Laurel asked. “I think Mama’s probably about to die. You know what a tightass she is when it comes to sticking to the schedule.”

Rory laughed. “Oh, I know.”

The two girls walked out to the van, Rory’s arm slung over Laurel’s shoulder. 

“You two ready to go?” Ava asked.

“Yeah,” Laurel said. “We’ve got it all figured out.”

“Good,” Ava said. She walked over to give both of her daughters a kiss. “I love you both,” she said. “We’re so lucky that we got you two.” 

“I think we’re pretty lucky, too,” Laurel said. She looked back at the family home. “I’m really going to miss this place.”

“You can come back to visit whenever you want,” Sara said. “This will ALWAYS be your home. We will ALWAYS be your home. Just tell me when and I’ll be there to get you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Laurel said with a smile. She turned back to the car. “Now, can we FINALLY hit the road?”

Ava laughed. “Yes, yes.”

As Laurel and Rory climbed in the backseat, Ava came over to give Sara a quick kiss. “You’ve been so strong today. So has Rory.”

“She and I talked,” Sara said. “So did she and Laurel. It’ll be a tough transition but we’ll get through it. It’s just another new adventure. And like all our other adventures, I have a feeling it’s going to be a pretty good one.”


	24. Mick's Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mick babysits, and tells Rory a story about a very familiar character...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! I started a full time job and moved. I can't wait for the new season of Legends, and am hoping that with all the new Avalance content we'll be getting I may get some more inspiration for future chapters :)

Mick Rory drained the last of the cream soda from the bottle. He usually would have been on his third beer of the night, but tonight was special. The only thing that could keep Mick from his beer was the Lance girls. 

Sara and Ava had asked him to watch Laurel and Rory for the night while they went out on a much-needed date, and he NEVER drank on such an important job. It had been a hard few weeks for both the Legends and the Time Bureau, and they deserved a night out. Everyone on the Waverider was taking a break; Zari had gone back to the Old West to see Jonah Hex of all people (what she saw in him, Mick had no idea), Nate and Amaya were in Detroit visiting Mari and her new baby, Ray and Norah (weird relationship, but who was he to judge) were at a play, and Mick didn’t even want to think about what creepy shit Constantine was up to. He had nowhere to go and no one to be with, so he was more than happy to spend the evening with Laurel and Rory. Ava had bathed them and gotten them in their pajamas by the time he got there, so all he had to do was play a couple of rounds of Candyland with them, watch them get in bed and turn out the light, and he had the rest of the night to eat pizza (Ava and Sara always fed him well) and drink cream soda in front of the TV. They knew he loved the stuff, so always had the fridge stocked for when he came over. 

Mick heard the found of tiny feet pitter-pattering on the floor. He turned around and saw four-year-old Rory in the doorway, holding a well-worn stuffed bunny in one hand and the thumb of her other hand in her mouth. 

“You’re supposed to be asleep,” he grunted. 

“Can’t sleep,” she muttered around her thumb. “You didn’t read me a story. Mommy and Mama ALWAYS read me a story before bed.”

“I’m not your moms. I don’t have to play by their rules. They said they wanted you in bed by 8, and it’s 8:30 now. Otherwise you’ll be tired tomorrow.”

Rory raised one of her eyebrows in an eerily Sara-like expression. “I’m not leaving until I get my story.”

Rory was smart; she knew that he was putty in her hands and that she would eventually get what she wanted. Mick sighed and patted the couch beside him. “C’mere.”

Rory wandered over and sat on the couch beside him, thumb still in her mouth. She leaned against his shoulder fondly. 

“If you keep sucking your thumb it’ll fall off,” he said quietly.

Rory’s eyes widened and she popped her thumb out of her mouth and examined it closely. “Really?”

“Yep,” Mick said seriously. “That’s what my dad used to tell me when I was a kid and sucked my thumb.” He felt a strange feeling in his stomach- he hadn’t thought about that in decades. His dad had HATED that he sucked his thumb. He could still hear him, all these years later. “Get that goddamn thumb out of your godddamn mouth, Mick. I know I didn’t get a pansy-ass thumbsucker for a son.”

Rory lifted up Mick’s right hand. “You still have both of your thumbs.”

“’Cause I quit sucking it after he told me that,” Mick said. He couldn’t tell Rory that he’d actually stopped because his father beat it out of him. 

Rory looked back at her own thumb. “I think I’ll be okay,” she said, popping back in her mouth.

“Suit yourself,” Mick said, turning back to the show that was playing on the TV.

“You said you’d tell me a story,” Rory said. 

Mick sighed again. “I didn’t say I would.”

“If you don’t I’ll wake Laurel up,” Rory said. 

“Fine, fine,” Mick grumbled, not wanting to have to deal with two tired, needy girls. “Go get one of your books and we’ll read it.”

“Mommy and Mama have already read all the books to me,” Rory said. “I want you to tell me a story from your head.”

“From my head?” Mick asked. “You want me to make it up?”

“Uh Huh.”

Mick sighed. He was a good storyteller; after all, he’d already written an EXCELLENT sci-fi romance, if he said so himself. But it took time to craft a masterpiece; he couldn’t do it on the fly.

“All the best stories begin with once upon a time,” Rory said. “So, once upon a time…”

“Once upon a time…” Mick said, trying to think of something, anything. A thought suddenly hit him. 

“Once upon a time there was an outlaw.”

“What’s an outlaw?” Rory asked.

“Like a bad guy,” Mick said. “This outlaw did a lot of bad things. He robbed banks. He took things from people. He hurt people who he cared about. He thought that he would be a bad guy his whole life. He thought there was no good left in him at all.”

“All the good was gone?” Rory asked with a gasp.

“All the good was gone,” Mick confirmed. “Or that’s what he thought. But one day, he got asked to join a team. This team was supposed to fix problems. But the thing about this team was that it was made up of people who were a lot like him. They weren’t all bad guys, but some of them were. Other people on the team had messed up really bad, and no one else wanted to work with them. But when they got together, they actually found that they were a really good team. They could actually fix the problems that needed fixing. And The Outlaw found out that there was still some good in him, too. And the more good things he did, and the longer he was part of the team, the more the good that was in him grew. He still made mistakes, and still sometimes hurt people he cared about, but he always went back to being good. And then one day, he met two princesses.”

“Two princesses?” Rory asked with a gasp.

“Yep,” Mick said. “And he realized that he loved these princesses very much, kind of like they were his own daughters. The Outlaw didn’t have any kids, and he probably wasn’t ever going to have any. But that was okay, because he had the princesses. They brought out the best of the good that was in him. They made him laugh, and always climbed on him and tickled him, and had tea parties with him, and he would do anything to protect them and make them happy. He even learned how to braid hair, so he could help make their hair pretty if he needed to.”

“Like you!” Rory said. “Remember when I was on the Waverider and Mama and Mommy had to work and you braided my hair for preschool?”

“Yep,” Mick said. “Just like me. Anyway, the Outlaw realized he wasn’t really an outlaw anymore. He was a full-fledged good guy.”

“Like a knight,” Rory muttered. Mick saw that her eyes were drooping. 

“Like a knight,” Mick agreed. “And the ex-Outlaw would love and protect those princesses for the rest of his life. If they ever needed him, EVER, all they had to do was call him and he would be there. I- HE would do anything for those girls, because he loved them SO much. The end.”

“And did they all live happily ever after?” Rory whispered, her eyes fully closed.

“They all lived happily ever after,” Mick whispered. 

Rory was quiet after that, and Mick could feel her breathing slow as she fell asleep. He picked her up carefully, and slowly carried her to bed. He placed her in bed and tucked the covers around her, before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. 

As he crept out of the room, Mick reflected on the story, and his life. He had been a bad guy once- a very bad guy. But the Legends, and the Lance girls, had brought out the best in him. They never, ever gave up on him, no matter the mistakes he made. And he meant what he told Rory- he would do ANYTHING to protect them, and would always, always, always be there for him. They were the closest thing he would ever get to having children, and they had his heart, totally and completely. 

No, Mick Rory was not an outlaw anymore. He was, really and truly, a knight.


	25. Caught!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara and Ava try to have some "alone time," but Laurel has other plans...

Six days away from home was about six days too long for Sara. The Legends had to deal with one of the most challenging anachronisms to date… an infant Queen Victoria was misplaced in New York City in 1985. Basically the entire world was changed… and the worst part was, neither the Legends nor the Time Bureau had any idea WHERE the baby queen was. Ava worked the case during what would be daytime in Star City so that she could be at home with 3 ½-year-old Laurel and 1-year-old Rory at night, but she still needed to have Quentin Lance come over and spend the night with his granddaughters so that she could help the Legends deal with the anachronism at the most tenuous point. But the queen was found and returned to England in 1820 where she had disappeared from, and Sara was able to return home. 

She did all the things that she’d missed while she had been away- cooked dinner for the family, sat on the floor and wrestled with Laurel and Rory, put both girls in the bath and played in the water with them for a bit, and sat with both of them in her lap as she read them not one, but TWO bedtime stories. She and Ava split up to get the girls to bed. Ava took Laurel and laid in bed with her for a few minutes until she dozed off, while Sara rocked Rory to sleep and then put her in her crib.

When Sara finally came out of Rory’s room, she met Ava, who was waiting outside. Ava immediately pounced on her and started kissing her aggressively.

“Holy shit,” Sara whispered. “That was unexpected… welcome, but unexpected.”

“I have been wanting you ALL WEEK,” Ava said, sucking lightly on Sara’s jaw. She moved them back towards their bedroom. “You know what week it is, right?”

“No?” Sara asked, still thoroughly enjoying the attention Ava was now lavishing on her neck. 

“My period’s next week,” Ava said.

“Ah,” Sara said with understanding. The week before her period, Ava got unusually horny. Some months, she asked Sara for sex every night in the week… which Sara was NOT complaining about. Sara loved Ava’s “horny week,” as they had named it. 

“I’ve been having to masturbate alone in bed every night like I did when I was single,” Ava said. Sara’s breath hitched at the image- Ava knew that was one of Sara’s favorite fantasies. “And seeing you in action every day, all badass and sweaty, and knowing that I couldn’t get a piece of that when I got home was NOT helping things.” She pushed Sara onto the bed.

“Well, good thing I’m here to help you out… maybe I can make you a little less frustrated,” Sara said as Ava removed her top. 

“Here, let me do you first,” Sara said, reaching to flip them both over so that she was now on top of Ava. 

“Thank you,” Ava whispered breathily. 

Sara quickly stripped off her clothes, and helped Ava remove hers. “Want me to be quick or slow?” she asked as she kissed from Ava’s jaw to her ear. Ava moaned when Sara took her earlobe in her mouth and sucked on it gently. 

“Quick now,” she said breathily. “Slow next round.” 

“Got it,” Sara said. She briefly kissed down Ava’s body until she settled herself between her thighs and went to work. 

**  
They were on round 3 for the night. Just as Ava wanted, the first round had been quick. Both Ava and Sara had finished within 15 minutes of starting. The second round was much slower; both women took their time, lavishing attention on the spots that they knew the other loved. It was longer, but less frantic and more thorough. 

Ava sat on top of Sara’s thigh so that her thigh rubbed between Sara’s legs, and that Sara’s thigh hit her in just the right spot. She was riding Sara’s thigh quickly, feeling herself getting close to the edge and, from Sara’s labored breathing, could tell that she was getting close, too. 

Suddenly, they heard a sound that made both of them stop their motions dead in their tracks- the sound of little feet scampering down the hall. Both Sara and Ava registered what it meant at the same time, and their eyes rose in panic- Laurel.

“Fuck!” Ava said, quickly rolling off of Sara and frantically pulling the covers over both of them. She was just in time- as soon as they were covered, Laurel burst into their room. 

“Mama! Mommy!” she cried. 

“What’s wrong, baby?” Ava asked, still panting slightly.

“I had a nightmare,” Laurel said, whimpering slightly. “There was a polar bear who was chasing me. He wanted to eat me.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” Sara said. “Why don’t you go back to bed and see if you can fall back asleep and have a better dream?”

“Don’t wanna go back to sleep,” Laurel cried. “He might come back.”

“He won’t, I promise,” Sara said, silently praying to whoever would listen for Laurel to leave and go back to her own room. 

“Can I sleep with you and Mama?” she said, the tears now evident in her voice. Sara looked over at Ava, a silent plea asking what to do. 

Sara sighed. “I’ll get in bed with you for a little while okay? Just until you fall back asleep. I need to sleep in my bed with Mama tonight.” 

“Okay,” Laurel said, slightly disappointed. 

“Can you wait outside for just a second while I get ready?”

“I don’t wanna,” Laurel said again. “I’m afraid the bear will come again.”

Sara sighed. “Okay, then turn around for just a second.” Laurel thankfully did as she was told, giving Sara enough time to throw on the nightgown that was laying beside the bed from where she’d thrown it six days before. She grabbed a pair of underwear from the drawer beside her bed and quickly put them on. 

Sara gave Ava a quick kiss, promising she would be back soon. She followed Laurel to her room, where she climbed in bed with her. She felt badly for being so annoyed with her when Laurel wrapped her little arms around her neck and sweetly whispered “I love you soooooooo much, Mama.”

“I love you too, baby girl,” she whispered. “I love you to the moon and back and back again.” She gave Laurel a soft kiss. Laurel laid fully on top of Sara and snuggled her head into her chest. Sara hummed softly, rubbing Laurel’s back gently (a sure-fire way to get her to sleep). Within 10 minutes, she felt Laurel’s breathing slow, and knew she was fast asleep. 

Sara gently rolled Laurel off her so that she was in a comfortable position, and quietly padded out of the room. She opened the door to hers and Ava’s room. Ava was sitting up in bed, still naked. Sara threw the nightgown over her head and climbed back in bed.

“I can’t believe it,” Ava said. “Clam jammed by our own daughter.”

Sara laughed. “It could be worse- she could have actually SEEN what we were doing. She’s too young to be scarred for life already. I walked in on my parents when I was like ten…” she shuddered. 

“Wanna keep going or are you done for the night?” Ava asked. 

“I mean, I could definitely go for one more round,” Sara said, leaning over to nip at Ava’s earlobe. 

Ava giggled. “You are something else, Mrs. Lance.”

Sara kissed her again. “It sure is good to be home.”


End file.
